On Saturday, 14th November, Giacomo Filibeck, the Secretary General of the Party of European Socialists, sparked a major political row by raising the Congress party’s slogan, “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” (Vote Thief, Leave Your Seat), while addressing the Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad. The program is organised by the Congress government of Telangana.
Speaking before a gathering of international delegates, Filibeck’s decision to chant a domestic Indian political attack line immediately raised eyebrows about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs. Echoing the Congress’ lies, Giacomo Filibeck further claimed, “The Congress Party built the democratic foundation of modern India. Today, it is fighting to protect them. And progressives everywhere stand with you.”
"VOTE Chor.. GADDI Chhod. VOTE Thief.. LEAVE your seat " – Party of European Socialists Secretary General, Giacomo Filibeck at Bharat Summit. https://t.co/UUjSnrLmtN
— Gulte (@GulteOfficial) November 14, 2026
The phrase “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” is not a spontaneous remark from a visiting dignitary. It was first introduced by Rahul Gandhi and has been repeatedly voiced by him across rallies as a go-to tool from the Congress’s arsenal of falsehoods and unfounded accusations against India’s electoral system and the ruling government.
Within the Congress ecosystem, the slogan has become a popular catchphrase used to cast doubt on democratic institutions. Seeing a European political leader stand on Indian soil and repeat such a controversial, partisan slogan represents a troubling step, a foreigner directly echoing an opposition attack line and intervening in India’s domestic political discourse.
In a viral video clip from the summit, Rahul Gandhi was caught with a gleeful smile as Filibeck delivered the slogan. The footage captured the Leader of the Opposition applauding the moment his domestic political lies were amplified by a European socialist official at an event the Congress has grandly packaged as the Bharat Summit.
Inside the Congress’ Bharat Summit: Brochure language vs. reality
Running in Hyderabad with over 1,000 delegates from 70 countries, the Bharat Summit is officially pitched as an intellectual forum to discuss a “new global order,” “electoral integrity,” “cooperative federalism,” and the fight against the “politics of hatred, division and authoritarianism.” Congress leader Salman Khurshid stated that the discussions, spanning 12 international sessions, eight sessions on Telangana, and the launch of a new think tank called ‘Our World’, would reflect “Rahul Gandhi’s vision for India and the world.”
However, looking past the polished brochure language reveals a much deeper political alignment. The Bharat Summit is closely tied to the Progressive Alliance (PA), a global network of Left and socialist parties founded in Leipzig, Germany, in 2013 after breaking away from the Socialist International.
Bringing together 119 parties from 97 countries, including the UK’s Labour Party, Germany’s Social Democrats, and India’s Congress and Samajwadi Party, the PA is far from a casual debating society. Its stated mission is to share campaign strategies, coordinate international action, and organise against “right-wing populism” and “dangerous authoritarianism.” By embedding itself in an international coalition built to counter nationalist governments, the Congress appears to be using a global stage to recast India’s elected government as a global “threat” that foreign parties must unite against.
Rahul Gandhi skipped the final day of Parliament’s Winter Session to attend a PA meeting last year
Rahul Gandhi is not merely a guest at this table; he sits in its top leadership as one of nine members of the PA’s Praesidium, representing Asia, alongside Congress figures Sam Pitroda and Jothimani Sennimalai on its Board.
His commitment to this foreign network has even outweighed parliamentary duties; in December 2025, he skipped the final day of Parliament’s Winter Session to attend a PA meeting in Berlin.
Rahul Gandhi had attended another event of the Progressive Alliance in 2024 too, as he was present at a meeting of international political leaders in Santiago to “cooperate in the fight against democratic backsliding and rising global uncertainties.” The event was held on 5th and 6th October 2024.
This is not the first time Hyderabad has hosted this alliance. In April 2025, the Congress and the PA jointly organised “Delivering Global Justice” in the city, concluding with the Hyderabad Declaration that accused “far-right leaders and autocratic governments” of allegedly spreading lies, in the name of a “strategic dialogue” on India’s foreign policy direction.
The latest Filibeck’s decision to raise the Congress’ “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” slogan at the 2026 summit has added another political dimension to the gathering. What was presented as an international discussion on democracy and electoral integrity also became a platform for repeating a slogan central to the Congress’ notorious domestic political campaign.
OpIndia has earlier reported how the Progressive Alliance follows regime-change enthusiast George Soros’ ideology, who has openly expressed his dislike of PM Modi. Furthermore, the Indian members of this global ecosystem, such as Neha Bora and Prashant Bhushan, have already stated that the recent opposition protests are aimed at bringing down the democratically elected Modi government, echoing the violent examples witnessed in Bangladesh and Nepal.
