AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Chhattisgarh former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and other party’s leaders during the party’s OBC Leadership- ‘Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan’, at Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Friday. July 25, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday (July 25, 2025) asked if Mr. Modi would retire at 75, as suggested by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Referring to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement about retiring politcians at 75, Mr. Kharge said that citing this rule, Mr. Modi removed veteran BJP leaders such as L. K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.
“Now he [PM] is completing 75 years. When will he move out? That issue is also before us. Will he go? Modi ji ousted all others. He has nothing to do with the country. He is only worried about his chair,” Mr. Kharge told a gathering.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said he has met the Prime Minister in person a few times and found him to be “all show and no substance”. He said the media has “inflated the Prime Minister’s balloon but there was not much substance in him”.
“Earlier, I had not met him, but now I have met him two to three times. Now I understand there is nothing,” Mr. Gandhi said.
The Congress leaders were addressing a Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) during which Mr. Kharge said the party has prepared a plan to bring the OBCs to the forefront. He urged all Congress Chief Ministers to launch new welfare schemes for OBCs.
Urging backward sections of the society to unite against the BJP, Mr. Kharge said that had the Congress got 25 more seats in the Lok Sabha election, it could have come to power.
Analysing his 21 years in politics, Mr. Gandhi said he committed a “mistake” in not protecting the interests of the OBCs in entirety. He said his approach was right in a few issues — such as Land Acquisition Bill, MGNREGA, Food Bill, fight for tribals — even though there may have been shortcomings, and he deserves “good marks” when it comes to protecting the interests of Dalits, tribals, minorities and women.
“But when I look back, I can see clearly that in one thing I was lacking, I committed one mistake — I did not protect the OBC section the way I should have,” he said, adding that he could not understand the issues of the OBCs earlier.
Lauding the socio-economic caste survey in Telangana, Mr. Gandhi said it is a “political earthquake”. “It has shaken the political ground of the country. You have not felt its aftershock, but the impact will be there,” he added.
Published – July 25, 2025 09:51 pm IST
