By the time Mallikarjun Kharge took over as Congress president in 2022, the party was nearly written off. A decade of defeats had reduced it to a pale shadow of its former self, its leaders demoralised, its organisational structure collapsing under the pressure of defections and infighting. Pundits and even party loyalists whispered: the Congress’s end is near.
But Kharge — seasoned, steady, and utterly fearless — stopped the freefall. In an era where even the strongest Opposition leaders are cornered, silenced, or sidelined by the Modi-Shah juggernaut, Kharge has become something rare: an untouchable leader who is untouchable, cannot be attacked, who cannot be broken, and who has given the Congress a fighting chance again.
The Inner Steel of Kharge lies not just in his five decades of political experience but in the harsh lessons of his childhood. As a boy, he saw his mother and sister killed in a razakar attack. Survival was not a given. From that day, fear lost its grip on him.
When he says in Parliament, “I have seen enough in life — at most, only death lies ahead”, it is not rhetoric. It is lived truth. This fearlessness radiates in his politics today. Unlike many leaders who weigh every word against possible retaliation, Kharge speaks with a rare freedom — and BJP knows attacking him directly is a political minefield.
Kharge has mastered the art of Parliament speeches. He uses wit and sarcasm to corner the ruling benches, then switches into blunt conviction when dignity or constitutional values are at stake. A few of his interventions stand out:
- On G20: Kharge joked that the “0” in G20 had been replaced with the BJP’s lotus symbol — the ruling benches laughed, but the barb stuck, exposing the government’s hunger to brand every international platform.
- On Ambedkar: When Home Minister Amit Shah invoked Ambedkar, Kharge’s reply cut sharp: “If you provoke us, we are like fire. You will get burnt.” The warning was not shouted — it was delivered calmly, but it silenced the Treasury benches.
- On Dhankhar’s remark: When Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar suggested Kharge seemed “dull,” Kharge instantly retorted, pointing out how such language echoes caste prejudice. It was not just a reply — it was a reminder that caste insults, even subtle ones, will be exposed in the highest House of Parliament.
- On Modi’s absences: During a heated session, Kharge mocked the Prime Minister’s reluctance to attend Parliament: “The PM is always on tour. He should at least spend some time in this House, where real democracy lives.”
Each speech carries both bite and humour, and unlike many Opposition leaders, Kharge never appears rattled. His composure — and age-honed wisdom — makes it impossible for BJP to caricature him.
Inside the party, Kharge has shown equal strength.
- In Rajasthan, when factional fighting threatened to tear Congress apart, Kharge stepped in. He didn’t allow indecision to destroy the party’s image. After the elections, he pushed firmly for a Dalit Leader of Opposition — asserting social justice as a line Congress would not compromise on.
- In Karnataka, his home turf, Kharge’s silent but firm mediation kept the party united, directly contributing to Congress’s sweeping 2023 victory. Leaders on both sides accepted his word as final — proof of the respect he commands.
- In Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, his speeches in state campaigns drew directly from Ambedkarite principles, energising Dalit and Adivasi voters who had felt neglected. By reminding them that Congress was their shield against social humiliation, Kharge revitalised the party’s grassroots connection.
The Untouchable and fearless in Modi-Shah Era, Why does BJP not go after Kharge the way it attacks other Congress leaders? The reasons are clear:
- His age and stature — At 80+, Kharge is seen as a father figure in politics. A direct assault risks public sympathy shifting instantly.
- His Dalit identity — BJP cannot afford to appear casteist in its attacks. Kharge’s consistent Ambedkarite stand makes this risk even sharper. Taller a dalit, intellectual a dalit, fearless a dalit, More Ambedkarite a dalit, She remains Untouchable in politics.
- His wit and resilience — Every jab at him is returned with sarcasm or fire. He cannot be rattled into mistakes.
- His clean image — In 50 years of public life, there are no corruption taints that BJP can weaponise.
This combination makes him a rare phenomenon: a leader the ruling party treads carefully around, even in a political climate where no opponent is spared.
Inside Kharge’s Strength as per Congress insiders describe him as a man of listening authority. He spends hours hearing out juniors and seniors alike, but once he decides, his word carries finality. Younger leaders say Kharge provides something they had missed: a sense that the party has a guardian again.
His network across states — from Maharashtra to Karnataka, from Rajasthan to Chhattisgarh — means factional leaders take his calls seriously. Unlike others who lead through press conferences, Kharge leads through relationships built over decades.
Above all, Kharge combines two qualities few leaders manage together: the patience of a negotiator and the fire of an Ambedkarite orator. That duality is why both allies and rivals struggle to pin him down.
The Congress that Kharge inherited was on political life support. Within two years, he has steadied it, given it voice in Parliament, healed critical state units, and repositioned it as a party that still stands for social justice and constitutional dignity.
He may not be the Congress of Indira Gandhi’s dominance or Rahul Gandhi’s campaigning charisma. But in the Modi-Shah era, where nearly every Opposition leader has been cornered or crushed, Mallikarjun Kharge has carved out something even rarer: a space of immunity, wit, and authority that makes him untouchable.
If Congress still has a future, history will say it is because Kharge refused to let its present collapse.
