Government not only ‘stealing’ votes but also savings: Congress on rise in inflation

The Congress on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) criticised the Centre over the rise in inflation, saying the government that came to power promising “achche din” was not only “stealing votes” but also savings, and that it was time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pick up his “jhola” and leave.

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, said inflation kept rising and public outrage over “vote chori” kept growing, but the Prime Minister sat “like a mauni baba.” Food inflation rose to 7.74% in September from 5.97% the previous month, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).

“Vote theft is the truth, back-breaking inflation is the reality. Headlines report that inflation reached 5.54% in September, but the real story is that food inflation has hit 7.74%, meaning the prices of almost every food item have crossed all limits. For instance, onions are up 108%, garlic 55%, ginger 63%, and lemons 36%,” Mr. Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.

According to government data, retail inflation had steadily risen from 3.40% in March 2026 to 5.54% in September 2026, marking the highest level in 23 months, he said. “The impact of inflation isn’t confined to just the dinner plate. Essentials like transportation, education, clothing-shoes, and household goods are all getting more expensive,” Mr. Ramesh said.