Political sparring between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress escalated on Sunday as the ruling party accused its principal rival of losing its ideological base and functioning as a private preserve of what it described as a “fake” Gandhi family, sharpening rhetoric on the Congress foundation day. The remarks set the tone for a day of exchanges that underscored widening fault lines ahead of key electoral contests and exposed internal sensitivities within the opposition.BJP leaders said the Congress no longer reflected the principles it once claimed to uphold, arguing that organisational authority had narrowed into a family-centric structure. The party dismissed Congress claims of a storied legacy as disconnected from present political realities, asserting that decision-making within the opposition outfit had become opaque and insulated from grassroots accountability.
The attack was accompanied by a pointed jibe at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, whom the BJP described as a “remote-controlled” leader. Senior BJP figures alleged that Kharge was constrained from speaking freely on contentious remarks made by influential Congress leaders, suggesting that internal discipline was enforced selectively to protect entrenched power centres. They claimed this dynamic explained the party leadership’s silence on comments by figures such as Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor, whose public interventions have at times generated debate within the party.
Kharge, addressing Congress workers earlier in the day, had invoked the party’s historical role in shaping the republic and accused the BJP of pursuing divisive politics that, in his view, threatened constitutional values. He framed the Congress as a counterweight to what he described as the ruling party’s centralisation of power, urging cadres to defend pluralism and institutional independence. BJP leaders seized on these remarks, arguing that appeals to history masked organisational drift and electoral setbacks.
Ruling party questions Congress claim to legacy
The BJP’s critique reflects a broader strategy of portraying the Congress as an organisation struggling to reconcile its past with its present. Party spokespersons said repeated electoral defeats and leadership churn had hollowed out internal democracy, leaving the party dependent on symbolic invocations of the Nehru-Gandhi lineage. The use of the phrase “fake Gandhi family” was intended to question the authenticity of that legacy and to separate it from the freedom movement figures whose names continue to resonate with older supporters.
Within Congress circles, the leadership has sought to project unity while managing divergent views from senior members with independent political standing. Digvijaya Singh’s comments on ideological issues and Shashi Tharoor’s public positioning on policy debates have often attracted attention beyond party lines, prompting speculation about tolerance for dissent. The BJP’s assertion that Kharge is compelled to remain silent taps into this narrative, suggesting that authority ultimately rests elsewhere.
Congress functionaries have countered such claims in the past by emphasising Kharge’s long organisational experience and his election to the party presidency through an internal process. They argue that differences of opinion are inherent in a broad-based party and that public debate should not be conflated with indiscipline. Supporters also point to Kharge’s record in Parliament and state politics as evidence of independent leadership.
The exchange comes at a time when the BJP continues to consolidate its messaging around stability and leadership clarity, contrasting it with what it portrays as Congress ambiguity. By framing the opposition as family-run and reactive, the ruling party aims to reinforce its appeal among voters seeking decisive governance. Congress, for its part, has attempted to shift the conversation towards social justice, economic pressures, and institutional checks, themes it believes resonate beyond personality-driven politics.