Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has faced criticism from the BJP after making remarks comparing the political use of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva during an event in New Delhi.

Speaking at The Conclave 2026 on Monday, September 28, Revanth Reddy contrasted the BJP’s use of the “Jai Shri Ram” slogan with the “Hara Hara Mahadev” chant. He said both Lord Ram and Lord Shiva are deities, before drawing a political and social comparison between the two.

What Revanth Reddy said about Ram and Shiva

Revanth Reddy said the BJP places greater emphasis on “Jai Shri Ram”, while people in southern India commonly use “Hara Hara Mahadev”.

He questioned why BJP leaders do not use the “Hara Hara Mahadev” slogan as frequently.

The Telangana Chief Minister then made the remark that has drawn attention, saying that Lord Ram is the “God of the rich” and Lord Shiva is the “God of the poor”. He also linked the comparison to his broader argument about differences between political and cultural traditions in northern and southern India.

Reddy further described the political-cultural divide using the terms “Dravidians” for the South and “Aryans” for the North, while saying that people in the South are more associated with devotion to Shiva and people in the North with devotion to Ram.

BJP criticism of Revanth Reddy

The remarks have triggered criticism from the BJP, bringing the religious comparison into the ongoing political exchanges between the BJP and the Congress.

Reddy’s comments came in the context of a wider political speech in which he criticised the BJP-led central government on issues including the Election Commission, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies.

Revanth Reddy’s wider remarks at the event

During the same event, the Telangana Chief Minister also alleged that the political situation was no longer simply a “North versus South” divide but had become a “Gujarat versus the entire country” situation.

He criticised the Centre over what he described as inadequate support for Telangana’s development projects and raised concerns about the possible impact of population-based delimitation on southern states. These were statements and allegations made by Reddy during the event.

Reddy also criticised the SIR exercise and called for a nationwide “SIR Go Back” movement. He alleged that the revision process could lead to the removal of voters and questioned the role of the Election Commission. These claims were made by the Chief Minister and are presented as his allegations, rather than independently established facts.

Why Revanth Reddy’s Ram-Shiva remark matters

The “Ram for rich, Shiva for poor” comment has become the most prominent part of Reddy’s remarks because it directly connects religious symbolism with his political argument about the BJP and Congress.

The statement was made as part of a broader discussion about the perceived political and cultural differences between northern and southern India. The BJP’s criticism of the comment has added another point of contention to the political exchange between the two parties.

Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc are set to meet in New Delhi on September 30 to discuss concerns surrounding the Election Commission, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a proposed removal motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The proposed meeting comes amid growing coordination among opposition parties over the functioning of the poll panel and demands for action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The parties are also discussing a possible joint response to the developments.

Why is the INDIA bloc meeting being planned?

The INDIA bloc meeting on September 30 comes amid reports of objections within the Election Commission over certain decisions and orders related to the SIR exercise. 

According to the report, Opposition leaders have been discussing a coordinated response to their concerns over the Election Commission and the electoral-roll revision process. 

The issue is also expected to be discussed at the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for September 29, a day before the proposed INDIA bloc meeting.

Gyanesh Kumar removal demand in focus

The demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has become a major point of contention between the Opposition and the Election Commission.

The CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML)-Liberation have demanded Kumar’s removal and an immediate halt to the SIR exercise. Congress has also intensified its criticism of the CEC.

Opposition parties are also working on a fresh removal motion against Gyanesh Kumar. The September 30 meeting is expected to finalise the strategy for the motion, including the collection of signatures. According to the report, this would be the Opposition’s third such attempt. 

What is the SIR controversy?

The political dispute is linked to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, or SIR.

The controversy intensified following a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several occasions concerning decisions and orders related to the SIR process.

The Election Commission has said that differing views and observations are part of normal deliberations in a multi-member constitutional body. The poll panel has also maintained that its orders have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures, while stating that the final decisions on the SIR were taken unanimously. 

TMC and Left parties coordinate over the issue

The developments have also brought the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) together on the Election Commission issue, despite their political differences in West Bengal.

CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby proposed an immediate meeting to discuss a joint strategy. According to the report, Mamata Banerjee spoke with M A Baby and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, after which the leaders settled on September 30 for the meeting. 

What could be discussed at the September 30 meeting?

The proposed meeting is expected to focus on:

• Concerns surrounding the Election Commission
• The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
• Opposition demands concerning CEC Gyanesh Kumar
• A possible fresh removal notice against the CEC
• A coordinated response by INDIA bloc parties

The exact agenda and participation will depend on the discussions among the opposition parties before the proposed meeting.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s remarks comparing the Gandhi Parivar and Sangh Parivar have triggered a political exchange, with the BJP hitting back at the Congress leader.

Speaking in Kerala on Friday, Mr Reddy described the contest over India’s future as a fight between the two “parivars”. He said the Gandhi family had made sacrifices for the country while accusing the Sangh Parivar of attempting to divide India on the basis of religion, caste, region and language.

What Revanth Reddy said

Mr Reddy cited Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi while speaking about what he described as sacrifices made by the Gandhi family.

He also referred to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, saying they had given up positions, power and high office.

The Telangana Chief Minister said he had no remaining personal political ambitions and described his objective as working towards a Congress-led government at the Centre with Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister.

Mr Reddy also appealed to people to stand with the Gandhi Parivar and oppose the Sangh Parivar. He described the latter as a threat to India’s democracy.

BJP hits back

The BJP responded to Mr Reddy’s remarks on Saturday.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said the Telangana Chief Minister’s comments amounted to an admission that Congress’s objective was to bring the Gandhi family back to power.

He also linked Mr Reddy’s remarks to the ongoing political debate around “vote chori”, the Election Commission, the Constitution and democracy, arguing that the Congress’s focus was instead on the Gandhi family.

The exchange adds to the political confrontation between the BJP and Congress, with Mr Reddy presenting the Gandhi Parivar and Sangh Parivar as opposing forces in India’s political future, while the BJP has interpreted his remarks as evidence of Congress’s focus on the Gandhi family.