Congress Unveils Campaign Critiquing Modi's Twelve Years in Power

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrates twelve years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress has launched a campaign highlighting what it terms "12 years of Modi's mismanagement." Rahul Gandhi took to X to question,

“Mr. Modi, will only the poor bear the burden of your failures?”

He criticized the government's economic policies, alleging they have driven millions of families back to using firewood for cooking due to rising costs and reduced subsidies under the Ujjwala scheme.

Gandhi also pointed out that the number of subsidized LPG cylinders provided through the Ujjwala initiative has plummeted from nine to four, while domestic LPG prices have surged by Rs 89 in just three months. He accused the Modi administration of favoring wealthy corporations, stating,

“Arranging debt waivers worth millions of crores for billionaire friends and passing the bill of your failures onto the poor — this is Modi's loot model.”

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah echoed these sentiments, declaring BJP's celebration a mockery of democracy. He criticized the government for undermining democratic institutions to retain power, suggesting that their claims of achievement starkly contrast with the reality of democratic decay in India.

The Congress party shared a poignant Ghalib quote alongside an image of Jawaharlal Nehru, stating, “Dil behlane ko Ghalib ye khayal achha hai.” They also released a poster that read, “Big Claims, Broken Economic Promises,” capturing the perceived disparity between the government's self-promotion and its actual economic record.

Congress leaders took issue with the BJP's characterization of Modi as India's longest-serving prime minister. Senior Congress member Abhishek Manu Singhvi asserted that Nehru holds that title, arguing that the BJP's claim is based on a technicality.

“The BJP’s latest propaganda exercise deserves a reality check,”

Singhvi stated, emphasizing that India's independent journey began on August 15, 1947, and criticizing the BJP for “semantic jugglery.”

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh added to the criticism, accusing the BJP of downplaying the contributions of revered leaders in favor of Modi's narrative. He contrasted the BJP's recent electoral performance, where they did not secure a simple majority, with Nehru's decisive victories in the early elections of independent India.

This wave of criticism from Congress comes as the BJP highlights its achievements over the past 4,399 days, including the abrogation of Article 370, the consecration of the Ram Mandir, and advancements in digital payments through UPI. The ongoing political battle underscores the deep divisions in Indian politics as the country reflects on a dozen years of Modi's leadership.