Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge Hospitalised in Bengaluru After Fatigue and Breathing Complaints

Bengaluru, Oct 2025 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was admitted to M.S. Ramaiah Hospital in Bengaluru after experiencing fatigue and breathing difficulties, following a hectic schedule on the campaign trail for the Bihar Assembly elections.

Kharge, 83, who has been actively participating in the party’s campaign, developed a persistent fever and leg pain on Tuesday evening. According to hospital sources, he visited the hospital for a routine health check-up, where doctors conducted several tests, including an ECG. After reviewing the results, medical staff advised him to be admitted for observation and treatment.

Doctors confirmed on Wednesday that Kharge’s condition is stable and that he is being treated in the general ward. Senior physicians are closely monitoring his health, and he is expected to remain in hospital for at least another day. Hospital authorities, however, have not yet issued an official statement on his condition.

Party insiders said that Kharge appeared healthy during his political engagements on Tuesday morning and carried out his duties as usual before showing signs of illness later in the day.

The development comes at a crucial time, as Kharge has been leading the Congress campaign in Bihar, strongly criticising the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At recent rallies, Kharge accused the Prime Minister of attempting to manipulate the upcoming elections through what he described as “vote theft.”

“PM Modi has a habit of stealing. He steals votes, steals money. And they (BJP) take care of people who fled India after looting the country’s banks,” Kharge said during Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra in Patna. He further urged voters to remain vigilant, warning, “PM Modi is trying to win in the Bihar election through vote theft. If you don’t stay alert, Modi and Shah will drown you.”

Kharge’s absence, even temporarily, could impact the Congress campaign in Bihar, given his prominent role as party chief and as a key voice of opposition in national politics.

A veteran leader, Kharge has had a long political career that began in Karnataka. He represented the Gurmitkal Assembly constituency from 1972 to 2008, and later the Chittapur constituency from 2008 to 2009. He served as Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 1999, and later as President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee between 2005 and 2008. Over the decades, he has also held ministerial positions under various chief ministers.

As the Congress awaits an official medical bulletin, party workers and supporters are hopeful for his speedy recovery.