Hope for Good Governance Next Year: Kharge Jabs Centre
On the economic front, Kharge highlighted the falling rupee, noting that the Indian currency hit an all-time low of 91 against the US dollar
Bengaluru: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took a swipe at the Centre, alleging the BJP’s failures and “misgovernance” on several fronts in 2025. On New Year’s Eve, he wished that the government would provide “good governance” in the coming year.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge said, “I pray this year goes well, and everyone is happy. I hope the new year brings prosperity and good health to all, and governments give good governance in the next year.”
Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition, in a post on X, launched a sharp attack on the BJP, citing issues such as the replacement of MGNREGA, a falling rupee, and inflation among 14 points of criticism.
Invoking MGNREGA and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls—two issues the Congress rallied around in 2025—Kharge alleged that the Centre had taken away citizens’ right to work and right to vote.
“On the last day of the year, it’s essential to remind everyone how the country was run in 2025, the 11th year of BJP rule. By scrapping MGNREGA, the ‘right to work’ was snatched away from millions of the poor. Without any preparation, without BLO training, the ‘right to vote’ was snatched from millions via SIR, and BJP’s vote theft was caught red-handed,” Kharge wrote on X.
His remarks came after Parliament passed the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, which replaced MGNREGA introduced by the UPA government.
While the new legislation increases guaranteed employment to 125 days from 100 days under MGNREGA, the Opposition has criticised it for removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name and introducing a 60:40 fund-sharing ratio between the Centre and states.
On the economic front, Kharge highlighted the falling rupee, noting that the Indian currency hit an all-time low of 91 against the US dollar.
He wrote that economic inequality had widened further, with the top 1 per cent holding 40 per cent of India’s wealth, while youth unemployment remained high and paper leak scams continued unabated.
Kharge also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over claims of mediation in the India-Pakistan standoff, first by US President Donald Trump and later by China.
“President Trump claimed ‘mediation’ at least 60 times, now even China is talking ‘mediation,’ while Modi ji stays silent,” he said, also referring to BJP ministers’ remarks following the Pahalgam terror attack.
He further criticised the government over the situation in Manipur, inflation, environmental concerns, air pollution in North India, and incidents such as the Kumbh stampede and Delhi station chaos, alleging that no accountability was fixed.
“All in all, in 2025 too, BJP’s plunder, corruption, and misgovernance loomed large over the nation’s people,” Kharge said in his post.
Responding to the allegations, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said that India has become the world’s fourth-largest economy due to “hard, measurable reforms.”
“While Congress perfected policy paralysis, PM Modi’s government delivered policy execution,” Bhandari said.