NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “terrorist” and later issued a clarification, in remarks anticipated to set off political controversy throughout the ongoing election season.Kharge made the assertion in Chennai at a press convention on the ultimate day of campaigning for the Tamil Nadu meeting elections, scheduled for Thursday. He was criticising the opposition AIADMK over its alliance with PM Modi’s BJP.“How can they (AIADMK) be part of with Modi? He’s a terrorist. And he does not imagine in equality. His get together will not imagine in equality and justice. And these persons are becoming a member of with them, it signifies that they’re weakening democracy, they’re weakening the philosophy of Annadurai, Kamaraj, Periyar, Kalaignar, and Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” he mentioned.“The Congress-DMK alliance will proceed to ship welfare, inclusive progress, high quality schooling, and accessible healthcare,” he added.When questioned on the context of his remarks, the Congress chief mentioned he meant that the prime minister at all times “threatens” and pointed to the alleged “misuse” of businesses by the BJP-led central authorities.“I need to make clear that Modi at all times threatens. The establishments like ED, I-T and CBI are in his arms. Subsequently I say, in that context, I say he’s terrorising folks and political events,” the veteran politician acknowledged.Reacting to Kharge’s remarks, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya criticised the Congress chief, calling it a “yet one more crass show” in a publish on X.“This isn’t the primary time Kharge has dragged public discourse to such lows. However with this comment, he hasn’t simply diminished himself, he has uncovered what’s a acknowledged method of the Congress: abuse and vilification of India’s hottest chief as an alternative of significant debate. When politics is diminished to name-calling, it displays not energy, however a deep frustration and lack of credible alternate options,” Malviya posted.AIADMK, an arch-rival of the ruling DMK, joined arms with the BJP in April 2025 after breaking away from the alliance forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, during which each events didn’t win any seats in Tamil Nadu. The DMK and its allies had swept the state in that election.Counting of votes for all 234 meeting constituencies in Tamil Nadu is scheduled for Could 4.