Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not yet accepting the invitation for a debate with Rahul Gandhi, a day after Gandhi agreed to participate. The invitation for the debate was extended by Justice (Retd) Madan B Lokur, Justice (Retd) Ajit P Shah, and N Ram, focusing on key Lok Sabha election issues. Ramesh labeled the prime minister's interviews as a "farce," accusing them of being orchestrated and lacking spontaneity.
