Telangana CM Revanth Reddy recently had a mixed controversy by announcing that if Rahul Gandhi had been India’s Prime Minister, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) would have been reclaimed. Speaking during a Congress occasion in Hyderabad, Reddy glorified Rahul’s leadership potential and said he would have followed in the vestige of his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, known for her bold responsible personality during 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. Reddy also took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, likening him to an outdated currency note, suggesting his leadership has lost relevance.

The BJP, however, responded strongly. Union Minister Jitendra Singh dismissed Reddy’s comments as laughable and turned the focus to Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi’s great grandfather. Singh rebuted that PoK exists today because of Nehru’s decisions during his time as Prime Minister. He specifically criticized Nehru’s move to declare a one-man ceasefire during the war with Pakistan, which, according to Singh, prevented India from fully reclaiming Kashmir. He also pointed out that this crucial bulletin was made without consulting military or political leaders.

This exchange has once again opened up the long, standing political debate over Nehru's role in Kashmir, with the Congress and BJP using history to defend their current positions and attack each other. Although Reddy portrayed Rahul Gandhi as a powerful future leader who could handle both Pakistan and China, the BJP countered by blaming Congress’s past leadership for today’s unresolved issues. The tussle highlights how past legacies and present goals are deeply tangled in India’s political discourse.