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Mainpuri: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has targeted opposition parties over the Aadhaar-voter list debate and criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s father. During his Mainpuri visit, Rijiju also called Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav a “very good friend” while suggesting that the SP leader’s INDIA bloc alliance could be influencing his political stance.
The remarks have intensified the political exchange over electoral transparency, opposition unity and the conduct of political leaders, with Rijiju also outlining the NDA’s approach to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
A remark about a political rival being a “very good friend” has added an unexpected dimension to Rijiju’s criticism of the opposition. The Union minister suggested that Akhilesh Yadav might feel compelled to align with Congress’s position because the Samajwadi Party is part of the INDIA bloc.
Rijiju accused Congress of making what he described as baseless statements. Referring to opposition MPs who had won their seats, he questioned allegations of electoral manipulation and argued that their victories had also been secured through votes cast by the public.
His comments come amid a broader political dispute over electoral rolls, the role of the Election Commission and opposition concerns about the electoral process. The exchange also highlights the challenge of maintaining unity among opposition parties while they disagree with the BJP-led NDA on key political issues.
The debate over linking Aadhaar with voter lists emerged as one of the central issues during Rijiju’s remarks. He accused opposition parties, including Congress and Left-wing groups, of using the issue to question the electoral system and alleged that their criticism reflected a lack of confidence in their electoral prospects.
Rijiju also invoked the issue of illegal immigration, claiming that opposition parties wanted to benefit from votes cast by infiltrators. He argued that people who have entered India illegally should not be entitled to vote.
These were the minister’s political allegations, rather than independently established findings. The wider debate raises important questions about voter eligibility, the accuracy of electoral rolls, identity verification and safeguards against wrongful exclusion from the democratic process.
For voters, the issue is significant because electoral roll integrity affects both the credibility of elections and eligible citizens’ ability to exercise their franchise. The political argument is therefore likely to remain contentious as parties continue to press their respective positions.
Rijiju also criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister’s father. He questioned the language used by the Congress leader and argued that political differences should not come at the cost of restraint in public discourse.
The minister said he had expected Kharge to be more measured than some other Congress leaders. He also questioned whether the Congress president’s remarks reflected his own position or were influenced by Rahul Gandhi, while acknowledging that he could not know the reason behind them.
The criticism has added a personal and rhetorical dimension to the BJP-Congress confrontation. Beyond policy disagreements, the exchange has renewed attention on how senior political figures communicate with one another and the tone they set for public debate.
Rijiju accused INDIA bloc parties of coming together primarily to regain political power. He alleged that opposition leaders were spreading misinformation and attempting to undermine the country’s institutions.
The minister also claimed that fake videos involving the Indian Army were being circulated and criticised opposition leaders over what he described as attempts to damage the armed forces’ reputation. These claims formed part of his wider criticism of the opposition and were not independently established by his remarks alone.
Rejecting the opposition’s concerns about democracy, Rijiju argued that democratic institutions had become stronger. He maintained that the political position of certain families and what he described as anti-India forces was under threat, rather than democracy itself.
The contrasting positions underline the political divide over institutional accountability, electoral fairness and the role of opposition parties. The debate is likely to remain central to national politics as parties prepare for upcoming electoral battles.
Turning to the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Rijiju said the NDA would contest under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He expressed confidence in the alliance and maintained that its political direction would remain unchanged.
The 2027 election is expected to be a major contest between the BJP-led alliance and opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and Congress. Electoral roll concerns, alliance calculations, voter outreach and leadership narratives are likely to feature prominently as political activity gathers pace.
Rijiju’s remarks signal the NDA’s emphasis on Modi’s leadership while also taking aim at the opposition’s unity and electoral strategy. However, the minister’s comments alone do not establish how alliances or voter preferences will shape up closer to polling.
During his one-day Uttar Pradesh tour, Rijiju attended the Abhidhamma Festival at the Youth Buddhist Society Centre in the Rajghat area of Mainpuri district. He also visited the Buddha Stupa at Sankisa in neighbouring Farrukhabad district. The visit combined a religious and cultural engagement with a series of political remarks on the opposition, electoral rolls, the Election Commission and the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections.
