Addressing a press conference in Chennai alongside AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, Kharge initially referred to the Prime Minister as a "terrorist" while criticising the AIADMK's alliance with the BJP

Congress leader KC Venugopal accused the BJP of attempting to “hijack” the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections using AIADMK. He said the polls would be a battle between secularism and divisive politics, expressing confidence in a DMK-Congress alliance victory