'Bhagoda economics': Cong's dig over Mallya's remark on informing Jaitley before leaving India
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI): The Congress on Friday took a swipe at the Modi government over fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's reported remarks that he had informed then finance minister Arun Jaitley before leaving the country in 2016 and said "Narender's whole system has turned out to be a surrender".
In another jibe, the opposition party also said Modi government's "pakoda economics" turned into "bhagoda economics".
The Congress often mocks the government using the term 'pakodanomics", an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reported comment in 2018 that selling 'pakoras' is also employment.
The Congress shared a video clip from a recent podcast Mallya did with social media influencer Raj Shamani in which he claimed he had informed Jaitley before leaving India in 2016. "It is clear that Modi government had a hand" in the businessman fleeing from the country, the party said.
The party's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera also posted the same clip.
Mallya is heard saying in clip, "I told the finance minister, Arun Jaitley, before leaving for the airport and then I flew from Delhi to London, I was on my way to Geneva for an FIA world council meeting which was fixed months ago. I told the finance minister because I went from Parliament to the Delhi Airport. When this news hit the media it once again created a storm."
People, he said, went running to Jaitley who denied meeting him. Then, a Congress MP saw them together and said so to the media.
"Mr Jaitley had to retract his statement and said, 'yes, yes I met him but only while walking, it was a fleeting meeting'. I never said I went to Mr. Jaitley's office, sat in front of him, had tea with him... All I said was that I told the finance minister while leaving, I am going to London, I have to go to Geneva for a meeting, I will be back, please tell the banks to sit across the table and settle with me.
"How long does it take to say this sentence, it can be talked about while walking'... but you see the way he denied it then when the Congress MP pointed out his mistake and said he saw us, he quickly changed," Mallya said.
Khera responded to the podcast with a post targeting the government and reiterating party leader Rahul Gandhi's surrender comment.
"The foreign minister tells Pakistan that it is being attacked. The bank fugitives flee the country by informing the finance minister. Narender's entire system turned out to be a surrender," he said.
Party colleague, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh, tagged the post with the "pakoda economics" jibe.
"Pakoda economics jo ban gaya bhagoda economics (pakoda economics that turned into fugitive economics)," he said.
Mallya, who fled to the UK in March 2016, is wanted in India over a default of Rs 9,000 crore that was loaned to erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) by several banks.
India has been seeking Mallya's extradition from the UK. He had in the past offered to repay 100 per cent of "public money" but accused the banks and government of refusing his offer.
भारत छोड़ने से पहले मैंने मोदी सरकार के वित्त मंत्री अरुण जेटली को बताया था कि मैं विदेश जा रहा हूं।
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 6, 2025
इसके बाद मैं संसद से सीधे दिल्ली एयरपोर्ट के लिए निकल गया।
- विजय माल्या
साफ है विजय माल्या को देश से भगाने में मोदी सरकार का हाथ है। pic.twitter.com/tSIGZWNeLd
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
ALSO READ: Cong candidate who moved Kerala HC for name reinstatement in voter list, wins
Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
