Narendra Modi Takes A Jibe At Congress, ‘Congress Won’t Be Able To Cross 100 Mark In 10 Years’

Narendra Modi, set to be sworn in for his third term as Prime Minister on Sunday (June 9), took a swipe at perennial rivals Congress for their performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He pointed out that while Congress had failed to secure over 100 seats in three consecutive elections (2014, 2019, and 2024), his BJP achieved that feat in just one election cycle.

“The Congress couldn’t achieve in three elections what we accomplished in one. They won’t reach the 100-seat mark even in a century,” Mr. Modi proudly proclaimed.

Leading the opposition INDIA bloc in this election, Congress secured 99 seats out of the 328 it contested. While this marked the party’s best performance in 15 years, with previous tallies of 44 seats in 2014 and 52 in 2019, it fell short of the triple-digit mark.

The last time Congress crossed the 100-seat threshold was in 2009 when it secured 206 seats, contributing to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s United Progressive Alliance securing a second term.

However, Mr. Modi’s taunt may be premature, as there’s a possibility for Congress to reach the 100-seat milestone if Vishal Patil, a party defector who won from Maharashtra’s Sangli, rejoins the party.

In a recent post on social media platform X, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge expressed gratitude for the support of elected MP Vishal Patil, indicating a potential boost for Congress’ seat count.

He also took a jibe at the INDIA bloc and questioned, “EVM is alive or deadc?”