Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Congress Targets Modi Government on Four Issues Before Polls
The Congress party held a meeting about issues it wants to raise before elections.
It chose paper leaks, temple donation theft, reports of Chinese activity in Arunachal Pradesh and changes to electoral districts.
Congress leaders say these issues put the government under pressure.
The party also wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
This followed an alleged incident in Haldwani and comments about Dalits by a professor during a television debate.
Congress wants the number of Lok Sabha seats to stay at 543 for 25 more years.
It also wants the promised 33 per cent reservation for women to be implemented without increasing that number.
The party said it would continue singing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at its events.
The Congress Working Committee chose paper leaks, temple donation theft, Chinese incursion reports and delimitation as campaign issues.
The party plans to mobilise public opinion and direct local units to campaign on the four matters.
Congress demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise over alleged casteist insults involving Mallikarjun Kharge.
The party wants Lok Sabha seats frozen at 543 for another 25 years while implementing 33 per cent women’s reservation.
Congress reaffirmed that it would sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party events.
- Who
- The Congress Working Committee, Congress leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
- What
- Congress decided to campaign on four issues and demanded an apology from Modi over alleged casteist insults involving Kharge.
- When
- The decision was made on Wednesday, after the just-concluded monsoon session of Parliament.
- Why
- Congress said it wants to mobilise public opinion and keep pressure on the government ahead of elections.
- Campaign issues
- Paper leaks, alleged Ram temple donation theft, reports of Chinese incursion in Arunachal Pradesh and delimitation.
- Lok Sabha seats
- Congress wants the total frozen at 543 for another 25 years.
- Women’s reservation
- Congress wants 33 per cent women’s reservation implemented while keeping the seat count unchanged.
- Haldwani controversy
- Congress alleged that a rally venue was ‘purified’ after Kharge, a Dalit, addressed a public meeting there.
- Vande Mataram
- Congress said it would sing only the first two stanzas at party events.
- Parliament session
- Congress said the Opposition kept the government under pressure during the monsoon session over exam lapses and police excesses on student protesters.