Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy compared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to Ravana and the Congress to Lord Rama while addressing a Congress gathering in Goa. He urged voters to support the Congress in the 2027 Goa Assembly elections, arguing that votes for smaller political parties could benefit the BJP.
Reddy said voters seeking to defeat the BJP should vote for the Congress party’s hand symbol rather than support smaller parties. He also claimed that Goa was witnessing the same enthusiasm for the Congress that he had observed in Telangana ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. During his address, he levelled several allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the functioning of the Election Commission.
Addressing the Congress gathering in Goa, Reddy invoked the Ramayana to draw a political distinction between the Congress and the BJP. He accused the BJP of dividing people and portrayed the Congress as a party that seeks to unite them.
Reddy said voters would have to stand behind the Congress to defeat the BJP. His central argument was that a division of opposition votes could affect the Congress’s electoral performance and potentially benefit the BJP.
The remarks come as political parties prepare their strategies for upcoming Assembly elections in various states. Consolidating opposition votes could be an important electoral issue for the Congress in Goa. The extent to which votes for smaller parties could benefit the BJP, however, would depend on electoral calculations, candidates and voter preferences.
Reddy expressed confidence in the Congress’s electoral prospects in Goa, saying he could see the same enthusiasm in the state that had preceded the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections.
The Congress won the 2023 Assembly elections in Telangana, after which Reddy became chief minister. Referring to that experience, he suggested that the party could also return to power or form a government in Goa.
The outcome of the 2027 Goa Assembly elections will depend on voter preferences, political alliances, local issues and election campaigns. Reddy’s remarks were aimed at mobilising Congress workers and building support for the party.
Reddy asked voters to consider their choices carefully before casting their ballots. He said those seeking to remove the BJP from power should vote for the Congress party’s election symbol.
Referring to South Goa, he said the region had traditionally been a b base for the Congress. According to Reddy, if the Congress failed to secure sufficient support while smaller parties gained influence, the BJP could benefit politically.
He also asked voters to consider which party they wanted to govern the state. During his speech, Reddy referred to drug mafias and builder mafias while targeting the BJP. These remarks formed part of his political allegations; no independent evidence supporting them was provided in the account.
Reddy urged voters opposed to the BJP to use their votes strategically. The actual role and influence of smaller parties will depend on candidates, constituencies and the distribution of votes during the election.
During his address, Reddy praised Rahul Gandhi’s role in attempting to unite people, while accusing the BJP of dividing society.
Reddy accused the Narendra Modi government of weakening democratic institutions. He also questioned the functioning of the Election Commission and alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was being used to remove the names of opposition party supporters.
He further alleged that the roles played by the central government and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar could affect citizens’ voting rights. Reddy claimed that a distinction was being created between people entitled to vote and those allegedly being deprived of that right.
The allegations concerning the removal of names from electoral rolls and the alleged misuse of SIR would require examination of official data, the Election Commission’s response and relevant records for verification. For now, the claims remain political allegations made by Reddy.
Reddy’s latest comments came amid continuing debate over the relationship between religious symbolism and politics. In a statement on September 29, 2026, he had also commented on Lord Rama and Lord Shiva.
According to the available account, Reddy associated Lord Rama with the wealthy and Lord Shiva with the poor, while accusing the BJP of using religious symbols for political purposes.
He had alleged that the BJP had incorporated Lord Rama into its political discourse. Through such remarks, Reddy questioned the party’s political strategy.
The use of religious symbols in election speeches has periodically attracted attention in Indian politics. Political parties invoke religious, cultural and social references to communicate their messages, and such statements have also drawn political responses.
During the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi’s temple visits and religious identity became the subject of political debate. BJP leaders questioned his temple visits, linking them to electoral strategy. In response, Gandhi described himself as a devotee of Lord Shiva.
His religious identity also came under discussion during a controversy involving the visitors’ register at the Somnath temple. Gandhi said he had not signed the register reportedly maintained for non-Hindu visitors, but had instead signed the visitors’ book.
Later, during his speech in the Lok Sabha in June 2024, Gandhi referred to an image of Lord Shiva and delivered the message, “Do not be afraid, do not intimidate others.” BJP leaders objected to the speech and questioned his use of religious references.
Reddy’s remarks can be seen as an attempt to sharpen the Congress’s election campaign in Goa. Through his Ramayana analogy, allegations against the BJP and appeal against voting for smaller parties, he sought to consolidate support for the Congress.
The party’s prospects in the 2027 Assembly elections will depend in part on its ability to secure voter support on local issues and on how electoral alignments develop among opposition parties.
Reddy’s statements have brought renewed attention to the use of religious symbols in politics, electoral strategy and the division of opposition votes in Goa. The BJP’s response to his allegations and the strategies adopted by political parties ahead of the election remain key developments to watch.
