New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari launched a sharp counterattack Thursday against senior Congress leader P Chidambaram over his comments regarding India hosting the upcoming BRICS Summit, likening the opposition party's disposition to a "Naaraz Fufa" (disgruntled relative).

Speaking to news agency ANI, the ruling party official claimed the opposition is driven by a deep-seated "Fear Of Missing Out" (FOMO), alleging that the Congress habitually opposes national achievements whenever the country's international reputation expands.

"If you observe the Congress today, seeing that the BRICS Summit is taking place in India, they are opposing it just like that 'Naaraz Fufa'. This is because the Congress knows that whenever the country prospers, whenever it involves boosting India's pride, the Congress party will always oppose it," Bhandari said.

The BJP spokesperson further asserted that veteran opposition figures have quietly accepted they will not witness Rahul Gandhi assume the office of prime minister or see their own party host the multilateral forum.

"Senior Congress leaders are beginning to realise that they may never see Rahul Gandhi become Prime Minister in their lifetime, nor will the Congress ever get the opportunity to host the BRICS Summit. Congress is experiencing FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). P Chidambaram’s statement reflects the attitude of that 'Naaraz Fufa', made at Rahul Gandhi's behest; it is precisely this mindset that has kept them in the opposition and will ensure they remain there in the future," Pradeep Bhandari said.

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The exchanges come as civil and infrastructural authorities step up preparations across the capital ahead of the 2026 BRICS Summit.

On Wednesday, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram questioned the practical gains derived from recent summits, stating he had seen few tangible outcomes from the preceding two or three meetings.

Speaking about the upcoming gathering in New Delhi, Chidambaram observed that while India maintains membership in numerous international blocs, including BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the G20, and the Quad, concrete advantages remain difficult to discern.

“I don't know how many Presidents and how many Prime Ministers are coming. I don't think the last two or three BRICS summits have resulted in tangible benefits or tangible results,” Chidambaram told ANI.

“In fact, we are part of BRICS, we are part of SCO, we are part of G20, and we are part of QUAD. What benefits are we getting out of that? I can't see. In the last two or three summits, I didn't see any benefits. Earlier, the BRICS Summits resulted in some tangible benefits,” he added.

New Delhi is preparing to host the BRICS Summit for the fourth time. India’s chairship of the 18th BRICS Summit centres on the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," adopting a human-centric focus across its core pillars to reinforce institutional partnerships and promote sustainable growth.

ANI