IndiaPosted at: Nov 2 2026 3:27PM


Congress targets BJP governments in Manipur, Uttarakhand, sees 2027 polls as opportunity for change

New Delhi, Nov 2 (UNI) The Congress on Monday launched a sharp attack on the BJP governments in Manipur and Uttarakhand, accusing them of misgovernance, corruption, land grabbing, administrative failures and disregard for public concerns, while expressing confidence that the party would return to power in both states in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with AICC in-charges, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders from Manipur and Uttarakhand in New Delhi to assess the political situation and review the party's organisational preparedness.
In a post on social media platform X after the meeting, Venugopal linked the public response to Sunday's INDIA bloc 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' rally at Ramlila Maidan to what he described as mounting anti-incumbency against BJP governments across the country.
"The anger we saw at Ramlila Maidan yesterday was only a glimpse of the sweeping anti-incumbency sentiment we see in these BJP-ruled states," he said.
Describing the BJP's style of governance as a "trouble engine model", Venugopal alleged that hatred, corruption, land grabbing, and administrative mismanagement had become its defining characteristics. He maintained that although Manipur and Uttarakhand faced distinct challenges, both reflected what the Congress considers a wider pattern of governance failures under the BJP.
On Manipur, Venugopal accused the BJP leadership of failing to end the ethnic conflict that erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023, leaving the state grappling with prolonged violence, displacement and insecurity. He alleged that the continuing crisis had eroded public confidence in the BJP's ability to restore peace and normalcy.
The Congress has repeatedly held the BJP responsible for the prolonged conflict, arguing that the failure to secure lasting peace and facilitate the return of displaced families has severely damaged the party's political standing. The BJP also suffered a setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Manipur, with the Congress winning both parliamentary constituencies.
The situation remains fragile despite the formation of a new BJP-led government under Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh in February 2026, following the revocation of President's Rule. The conflict has claimed more than 300 lives and displaced over 60,000 people. Figures placed before the Manipur Assembly showed that 306 people had been killed and 49 remained missing as of August 31, 2026. Fresh violence over the weekend, in which five Kuki men were killed in two separate incidents, further highlighted the continuing security challenges.
Turning to Uttarakhand, Venugopal accused the BJP government of exploiting the state's religious identity and natural resources while failing to protect the interests of ordinary people. Referring to Uttarakhand as Devbhoomi, he alleged that even its revered temples had not been spared from what he described as "Chanda Chori", accusing the BJP of exploiting religious institutions and public donations for political and financial gains.
The Congress leader also raised concerns over the alleged transfer of extensive stretches of mountainous land to corporate interests, warning that commercially driven development could endanger the state's fragile Himalayan ecology. He argued that recurring natural disasters and mounting environmental concerns should serve as a warning against projects that could irreversibly damage the mountains, forests, and livelihoods of local communities.
Venugopal further accused the BJP government of failing Uttarakhand's youth and women, citing alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, paper leaks and the controversy surrounding the murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who worked as a receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh.
The murder, which took place in September 2022, triggered widespread protests and demands for accountability. Three accused were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025. However, questions raised by sections of the public and the victim's supporters over the alleged involvement of a politically influential 'VIP' have kept the controversy alive. While the state government has pointed to the investigation by the Special Investigation Team, arrests, and subsequent convictions, the Congress has continued to question aspects of the handling of the case and the wider allegations.
The meeting with the state leadership comes as the Congress seeks to strengthen its organisational machinery and formulate a coordinated political strategy ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections in both states. The party is seeking to put unemployment, recruitment scams, corruption, environmental degradation, women's safety, and the continuing ethnic crisis in Manipur at the centre of its campaign against the BJP.
Projecting the next Assembly elections as an opportunity for political change, Venugopal expressed confidence that the Congress would secure decisive victories in both states.
"In 2027, the people will unseat the BJP and ensure a thumping majority of the Congress that will bring back a people's regime in these states," he asserted.
His remarks came a day after the INDIA bloc's rally at Ramlila Maidan, where opposition parties mounted a united attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over electoral issues and alleged failures of democratic and constitutional institutions. The Congress is seeking to build on the political momentum generated by the rally by intensifying its state-level campaigns.
The deliberations involving Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and the party's Manipur and Uttarakhand leadership indicate that the Congress is attempting to integrate state-specific grievances into its wider national campaign against the BJP. With the 2027 electoral battle approaching, the party hopes to turn public dissatisfaction over governance, accountability, employment, and people's livelihoods into a decisive challenge to the ruling party in both states.
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Tags: #Congress targets BJP governments in Manipur# Uttarakhand# sees 2027 polls as opportunity for change
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