- BJP's Kiren Rijiju claimed Congress's Pawan Khera got Rajya Sabha seat for false claims during Assam polls
- Minister alleged Rahul Gandhi asked Khera to make false accusations against Assam CM Himanta Sarma & his wife
- The spat started after Rijiju posted a swimming challenge allegedly to Rahul Gandhi
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday alleged that Congress leader Pawan Khera was given a Rajya Sabha seat as a "prize" for making what he called false allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, during the state's assembly election campaign earlier this year.
As part of an ongoing spat that started over a swimming video and Rijiju's alleged dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the central minister from Arunachal Pradesh posted on X on Wednesday afternoon: "2 senior Congressmen told me that Rahul Gandhi ji had asked Pawan [Khera] to put false allegation against [Himanta Biswa Sarma] Ji & Madam Riniki Ji at the last hour of Assam election. When the falsehood backfired, [Khera] was given a Rajya Sabha seat as a prize which he doesn't deserve!"
2 senior Congressmen told me that Rahul Gandhi ji had asked Pawan Kheda to put false allegation against @himantabiswa Ji & Madam Riniki Ji at the last hour of Assam election. When the falsehood backfired, Kheda was given a Rajya Sabha seat as a prize which he doesn't deserve!
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 26, 2026
How Khera Entered The Rajya Sabha
Pawan Khera was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Congress-ruled Karnataka in June. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was re-elected from the state in the same round, along with Mansoor Ali Khan, while the BJP's M Nagaraj was also elected unopposed.
In an earlier post on Tuesday, Rijiju had described Khera as having been "nominated" by the Congress. Speaking after his candidature was announced in June, Khera had said, "Party leadership, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi gave me this opportunity, and I am indebted to them."
The Exchange That Led Here
The row began with a video Rijiju posted of himself swimming in a river in Arunachal Pradesh, in which he allegedly challenged Rahul Gandhi to attempt the same currents. Fitness has been a running theme between Rijiju and Rahul Gandhi, with the latter even suggesting they train together.
Khera responded on August 25, "Imagine how badly Rahul Ji has gotten under the BJP's skin. On one hand, Kiren Rijiju can't even go for a half-naked swim without invoking Rahul Gandhi. On the other, senior citizen Giriraj Singh (another BJP minister) has been reduced to calling himself a 74-year-old 'new baby born'." Giriraj's statement was made separately at an event earlier in the week as part of the BJP's apparent Gen-Z outreach after the Cockroach Janta Party-led youth protest in June-July.
Kiren Rijiju replied on Tuesday: "Dear Pawan Khera, I'll report to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma ji about your indiscipline conduct if you talk about half-naked swimming. Do you swim with full suit & coat? You are a 1st term MP, nominated by your party in Rajya Sabha & I've fought 8 elections so far."
When Khera replied with "get well soon", Rijiju doubled down and posted: "Dear Pawan Khera why are you dragging me again? I've works to do. Did I mention Rahul Gandhi in my swimming video? check again. Don't say get well soon to a strongman. You should remain healthy as Congresis like you are assets for us. Your arrogance repulse even INC well-wishers."
What's The Khera-Sarma Case?
Rijiju's invocation of Himanta Sarma refers to a case still under investigation, in which Khera is on bail.
On April 5, days before the Assam assembly elections, Khera alleged at a press conference that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma held multiple foreign passports, owned property in Dubai and controlled assets through a firm registered in the United States. Both Sarma and his wife rejected the allegations as fabricated and politically motivated.
An FIR followed at the Crime Branch police station in Guwahati under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those covering false statements in connection with an election, cheating, forgery and defamation. Assam Police searched Khera's Delhi residence on April 7.
The Gauhati High Court refused him anticipatory bail on April 24, holding that custodial interrogation was needed to establish who had supplied him the documents. The Supreme Court set that order aside on April 30 and granted him anticipatory bail, though it observed that Khera's remarks were made for political advantage ahead of the polls. The bench also noted that some of Himanta Sarma's statements, too, were not in keeping with parliamentary language.
