Chouhan dismisses INDIA bloc protests as electoral sour grapes

“A bad dancer blames the floor,” Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday, dismissing the INDIA bloc’s nationwide protests as the desperate flailing of a party unable to accept consecutive electoral losses. He argued that the opposition’s focus on constitutional institutions is merely a distraction from their own internal decay.

Editorial·October 12, 2026·reads: 389

Chouhan dismisses INDIA bloc protests as electoral sour grapes

The senior BJP leader pointed to a string of recent setbacks in Assam, Tripura, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh as evidence of the Congress party's waning public support. Rather than blaming the Election Commission for their diminishing influence, Chouhan asserted that the party’s primary obstacle is its own “idea-less leadership.” He highlighted deep-seated factionalism in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka, and Telangana, characterizing the party as a house divided against itself.

Chouhan further rejected opposition claims regarding the sanctity of the Constitution, noting that the Congress has historically dismantled elected state governments on more than 90 occasions. His remarks followed a protest march staged by the INDIA bloc in New Delhi, where opposition leaders gathered near the Constitution Club to voice concerns over alleged irregularities. The bloc has signaled plans to petition the Supreme Court, seeking intervention to protect democratic processes amid heavy police deployment in the capital.