Patna, October 26, 2026: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s speech in Patna took a sharp turn on Sunday after a tense exchange with a person in the audience over Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kharge responded with the remark, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega”, triggering a commotion at the event and drawing criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The incident occurred during a programme marking the 139th birth anniversary of Dr Shri Krishna Singh, Bihar’s first chief minister, popularly known as Shri Babu. Kharge was addressing the gathering when a person in the audience reportedly said that Modi would not leave office. The Congress chief responded angrily, and the exchange soon became the main talking point of the event.
The incident was reported by India Today on Sunday. Videos of the exchange circulated online, while leaders from the BJP and Congress responded to the controversy.
Audience Exchange Leads to Disruption
According to reports, the argument began when a person at the venue was heard saying that the Prime Minister would not go anywhere. Kharge, who was speaking about the BJP-led government and its policies, replied with the Hindi phrase “Modi ka baap bhi jayega”.
The remark was followed by a disturbance inside the venue. Reports said the man was removed from the gathering and was allegedly assaulted by some people present there. The incident has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the treatment of the audience member.
The man was later identified in media reports as Santosh Kumar. Speaking outside the venue, he disputed the suggestion that he had been heckling the Congress president and said his words had been misunderstood.
Kumar claimed that he had said Modi would not leave unless there was a revolt, but that only part of his sentence was heard. His explanation could not independently establish exactly what was said in the crowded hall, and the exchange remains a matter of competing accounts.
Kharge Expands Attack on Modi Government
After the exchange, Kharge continued his criticism of the Prime Minister and the BJP-led government. He questioned Modi’s earlier promise to bring back black money and asked what had happened to the money that was supposed to be recovered.
The Congress president also accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of promoting an ideology that, in his view, creates divisions in society. He argued that the country could not achieve lasting peace while communal tensions and discrimination continued.
Kharge further criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He said Kumar had entered politics with a socialist background but had moved away from those principles by aligning with the BJP.
These comments formed part of a wider political attack during the Patna programme. Kharge also raised concerns about electoral processes and the protection of voting rights, accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of India of actions that he said threatened democratic institutions. These were political allegations made by the Congress leader and should not be treated as independently established findings.
BJP Condemns the Language Used
The BJP criticised Kharge over his remark, arguing that a senior political leader should maintain restraint while addressing a public gathering. Party leaders described the comment as inappropriate and accused the Congress of resorting to personal attacks instead of focusing on policy issues.
Union minister Giriraj Singh also criticised the Congress president and defended Modi, saying the Prime Minister would continue to enjoy public support. BJP leaders used the episode to question the tone of the Opposition’s political campaign.
The controversy has once again highlighted the sharp language used by leaders from rival parties during political speeches. Such exchanges often attract attention beyond the original subject of a rally, shifting public discussion from policy issues to personal remarks.
The Congress, meanwhile, has defended Kharge’s broader criticism of the government. Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said the phrase used by Kharge was an idiom and argued that Modi had also made controversial remarks about political opponents.
Political Debate Continues
The Patna event was organised to mark the birth anniversary of Shri Krishna Singh, who served as Bihar’s first chief minister. The programme was expected to focus on the state’s political legacy, but the confrontation between Kharge and the audience member quickly drew attention away from the occasion.
The episode comes amid continuing political disputes over electoral rolls, democratic institutions and the role of the BJP and Congress in national politics. Kharge used his address to call for greater opposition unity and urged people to protect voting rights and constitutional principles.
For now, the immediate controversy centres on Kharge’s remark, the circumstances of the exchange and the reported treatment of the audience member. Kumar’s claim that his words were misunderstood adds another dimension to the incident, although his version has not independently settled what happened.
The episode has prompted fresh criticism between the two major political parties. Further details about the disturbance may clarify the circumstances, but the incident has already become another point of contention in the ongoing political battle between the Congress and the BJP.