BJP government in Goa is a government of thieves: Kharge

GOA, August 17, 2026: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge today said that the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa was a government of thieves as the BJP had stolen the Congress mandate. He said, 10 of the 12 ministers in the state government are from the Congress who had deserted the party.

Addressing a largely attended public rally here today, Kharge called upon the people to teach the traitors a lesson and not elect them again. He pointed out, those who defected to the BJP after betraying the Congress had been elected on Congress tickets with the party’s support. “Our party won a massive mandate and it was stolen by the BJP”, he said, adding, “That is why I say, this is a government of thieves”. He added that the BJP forms governments by breaking other parties and buying MLAs, yet lectures the world on 'morality'.

The Congress president recalled the party’s contribution to the freedom struggle of the country. He said, leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru made great sacrifices for the country, with Nehru spending 14 years in jail. In contrast, he added, RSS leaders wrote letters of apology and support to the British. “And you have the audacity to preach us patriotism”, he told the BJP.

Kharge said the BJP was not only anti-national for trying to divide people but also anti-religion. Kharge recalled how BJP workers “purified” the venue in Uttarakhand after he addressed a public rally there. “Tell me, does your religion teach this? Does your Guru teach this? Where is your Guru Golwalkar? Is it not a shame on this country?” he asked. Referring to the BJP, “You are the worst sinners. You need to be purified. I am a public representative. I will keep on fighting with you and chasing you out”.

In the same vein, Kharge told the BJP, “If you were patriots, you would talk of unity and not dividing people; you would talk of secularism and take along everyone. But you are dividing the country and polarising people”.

Lashing out at the Goa government, Kharge said, it was the most corrupt government he had seen in his political career. He said, this government was not a friend of Goa and pointed out how the state’s land and resources were being sold to wealthy outsiders.

Calling upon the people to bring the Congress to power, Congress President said this was essential to save and protect Goa’s environment, forests and other resources. He exhorted party workers to remain united, stressing that there is strength in unity.

Predicting the formation of a Congress government in Goa, he promised that it would crack down on drugs, protect the state’s land, forests and resources, and provide jobs to the unemployed.