Assembly Elections 2026 LIVE: ‘Didn’t call PM Modi a terrorist,’ Kharge clarifies remarks; accuses him of ‘terrorising’ political opponent

All India Congress Committee President and Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, MP and General Secretary (Organization), Girish Chodankar, along with Incharge Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and TNCC Chairman K. Selvaperunthagai, addresses a press conference in Chennai on April 22, 2026. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

C.Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge clarified his earlier comments regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, saying that he did not call the Prime Minister a “terrorist” but talked about the victimization of political opponents by the Modi Government. Mr Kharge claimed that the Prime Minister was “terrorizing politicians” and that “tax terrorism was taking place”.

“I did not speak against the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is terrorizing politicians and candidates and regarding this, I said that there is tax terrorism, ED, Income Tax department and CBI are carrying out raids, this terrorism is facilitated by the Prime Minister. I did not call him a terrorist, he is scaring people. He is trying to silence people with raids and is trying to defeat them in the elections. I said this in Chennai too,” he said. MOMENT.

Also Read: Kharge clarifies ‘PM didn’t call Modi a terrorist’; He accuses her of ‘terrorizing’ political rival

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI), claiming that the commission denied permission to hold a public meeting in the Collin Lane area and prioritized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting in six hours. Addressing a public meeting in Jorasanko Assembly Constituency, Ms Banerjee said: “I had a meeting in the Collin Lane area. If a political party had been holding a meeting there and I had not been given permission. I would not have given it a second thought. But I was clearly told (by the Electoral Commission) ‘We will not give you permission.’ “You did not allow me to meet, but you gave priority to the Prime Minister’s meeting within six hours.”

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Campaigning for the first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal ended on Tuesday, April 22, 2026, with political parties giving strong support to their campaigns in 152 seats where voters will exercise their franchise on April 23. The poll will determine the electoral fate of 1,478 candidates. There were sharp differences between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the poll battle. Congress and CPI-M, which formed an alliance in the last assembly elections, are fighting separately.