Epstein to KGB: BJP–Congress War of Words Escalates

The BJP and the Congress are now locked in a no-holds-barred accusation against each other ahead of busy election season

By MANISH ANAND

New Delhi, February 25, 2026 — India’s two largest political outfits — the BJP and the Congress — are sparring with an intense rancour. The two parties have unleashed AI-generated videos on social media platforms to take down their respective political icons.

Taking off from the first part of the Budget session where Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president, sought to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the purported claims made in an unpublished book by Gen. (Retd.) Manoj Naravane, the main Opposition party has been harping on Epstein Files and their connections with Modi and Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The BJP has released AI-generated videos, levelling allegations that the KGB of erstwhile USSR and the CIA of the US had a free access to “all files in the PMO during the tenures of Prime Ministers from the Congress rank.” The video features Jawaharlal Nahru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi. The BJP has also released AI-generated images to make accusations of the reach of the foreign spy agencies in India’s PMO during the reins of PMs from the Congress ranks.

The bitter war between the Congress and the BJP had even stormed India Impact AI Summit where the Youth Congress workers went shirtless. Delhi Police have booked them. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu was alarmed to see a police raid at the Himachal Bhavan where he was staying during his Delhi visit.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday raised the issue of a “compromised” Shimla Accord. He questioned the rationale for release of “93,000 Pakistani soldiers without taking Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.”

The Congress affiliated handles have also released AI-generated videos, featuring Modi for his mentions in the Epstein Files for “allegedly singing and dancing in Israel during the visit of Donald Trump” in his first term as the US President. Earlier, the Congress had released an AI-generated video, featuring late mother of Modi in which she admonishes the Prime Minister while appearing in his dream for “exploiting her for election purposes.”

The bitterness between the two leading national parties is arguably linked to Modi. The Congress leaders had been attacking Modi when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. He also faced probe agencies during the UPA government.

Modi on his part has been exploiting the victim card, pivoting his electioneering and speeches even at official functions by attacking the Congress and Rahul Gandhi without taking his name.

The bitter spat between the two parties has the backdrop of hectic election season in near future. The BJP and the Congress will be competing on political turfs of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry this year. The two parties will further square off against each other in key election battles in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Goa, and Punjab next year.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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