oppn parties Calling Modi Names: Does It Work?

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  • Congress leader Rahul Gandhi opened the party's campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections with an Insaaf rally in Sangrur, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's home district, accusing the AAP government of failing to control drugs, gangster violence and corruption. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge outlined six commitments, including a drug-free Punjab, protection of farmers, employment for young people and action against corruption
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Calling Modi Names: Does It Work?

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2023-05-02 07:21:24

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

Election time is no-holds-barred time. Accusations and counter-accusations fly thick and hard. No political party leaves a chance to hit at its rival or rivals and facts often take a back seat. But when it gets personal, it turns ugly. The Congress has a history of using disrespectful words for Prime Minister Modi. He has said that he has been 'abused' 91 times. The tally increased to 92 on Monday when Priyank Kharge, son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, called him a "nalayak" beta to the banjara community in Karnataka, for not looking after their interests. This comes close on the heels of his father calling the Prime Minister a "venomous snake".  It might be recalled that Kharge Sr had earlier called Modi a '100-headed Ravan'. The Prime Minister was called 'chor' by Rahul Gandhi, 'chai-wala' and 'neech' by Mani Shankar Aiyar (who also called him 'the most foul-mouthed' prime minster the country had seen) and 'maut ka saudagar' by Sonia Gandhi.

Apart from being unbecoming, these personal jibes have often backfired at the Congress but the party and its leaders are not getting the message. The Congress lost in a closely fought election in Gujarat after the Aiyar jibe. Political experts have often said that personal attacks on the Modi have not benefitted the Congress given his soaring popularity. Instead, it has backfired, as in Gujarat. But Congress leaders do not seen to heed this and continue to make intemperate personal remarks. The Karnataka elections are also expected to be closely fought and there is every chance of a hung assembly being returned. It remains to be seen how the BJP gains after the venomous snake and nalayak jibes by the Kharge father-and-son duo. The BJP, including Prime Minister Modi, have already started trying to make political capital out of these remarks. 

picture courtesy: PTI (captions ours)

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