‘Abusing PM Modi does not win votes’: Kiren Rijiju hits out at TMC, Congress after BJP’s strong electoral gains

In the wake of the BJP’s strong showing in the latest Assembly elections, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on leaders from the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing them of using “foul language” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and calling it a sign of “arrogance and ignorance.”

Rijiju’s remarks come as the election results have reinforced the BJP’s growing political momentum, particularly in West Bengal, where the party made significant electoral gains. Against this backdrop, he argued that personal attacks on the Prime Minister reflect poorly on opposition leaders and fail to resonate with voters.

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‘No basic manners,’ says Rijiju

In a post on X, Rijiju alleged that several opposition leaders have repeatedly crossed the line in their criticism of the Prime Minister. He said such behaviour indicates a lack of basic political decorum.

“The Congress and TMC leaders have used foul language against PM Modi Ji. They think that abusing PM would make them popular, not realising that it smacks of arrogance and ignorance! I’ve observed that 7-8 Congress leaders don’t even have basic manners. The nation trust Modi Ji,” he said.

The Congress, and TMC leaders have used foul languages against PM Modi Ji. They think that abusing PM would make them popular not realizing that it smacks of arrogance & ignorance !

I’ve observed, 7-8 Congress leaders don’t even have basic manners. The nation trust Modi Ji. https://t.co/AMS7H8P8cX

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 5, 2026

Warning of political fallout

Reiterating his earlier remarks from an interview, Rijiju suggested that targeting Modi personally could hurt the opposition politically. He claimed that the Prime Minister’s popularity remains strong across the country and that voters tend to reject leaders who resort to personal attacks.

According to him, the “Modi wave” continues to influence ground-level politics, and criticism framed as abuse could lead to a decline in the political standing of those making such remarks.

The minister’s comments follow the BJP’s impressive performance in West Bengal, where the party secured 206 seats, a substantial rise from its previous tally of 77, as per Election Commission data.

The outcome marks a notable shift in the state’s political landscape, long dominated by the Congress, Left parties, and later the TMC. The results have not only strengthened the BJP’s position but also intensified the war of words between the ruling party and the opposition.