Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has often spoken about swimming as part of his fitness routine. But Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju believes the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha may need some training before taking the plunge into Arunachal Pradesh's gushing rivers.

"Mein yahan ka khiladi hun [I am the player here]," Mr. Rijiju said in a post on X on Sunday (August 23, 2026).

The remarks are the latest in a series of good-humoured exchanges between the two political rivals over fitness, including a conversation in Parliament last year and a jiu-jitsu challenge from Mr. Gandhi earlier this year.

"Many people are saying that I'm also doing like Rahul Gandhi. Rahul ji may take training for such activities but it's normal routine in my life. I don't take training as these are child's play for me since childhood. My life is full of adventurous [adventures]," Mr. Rijiju wrote, posting a video of himself swimming in a river in Arunachal Pradesh.

"Never go to deep water if you do not know swimming. Many people have drowned in the river. The rivers in Arunachal Pradesh are huge and very deep," he wrote.

He later posted another video explaining why swimming in the rivers of Arunachal differed from swimming in a pool or calmer waters.

"Some people might think swimming in gushing rivers of Arunachal Pradesh is like swimming in pools or rivers like Yamuna. In raging rivers, our head should be up, not down & body should be more upright, not straight as we keep in swimming competition. Mein yahan ka khiladi hun," he said.

When some drew comparisons with Mr. Gandhi, Mr. Rijiju responded by pointing to his childhood in Arunachal Pradesh.

In December last year, Mr. Rijiju posted on Instagram a video of a conversation with Mr. Gandhi in Parliament.

"Not talking politics, only fitness. I hope he will promote #FitIndiaMovement," the minister had said.

During the conversation, Mr. Gandhi reportedly asked Mr. Rijiju about his exercise routine and invited him to work out with him. Their conversation also turned to martial arts, with Gandhi suggesting that the two train together.

Mr. Gandhi referred to a conversation with Mr. Rijiju again while speaking in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session in February.

He said Mr. Rijiju had once asked him how he remained fit and that he had told the minister about his practice of jiu-jitsu. Mr. Gandhi then used the martial art to make a political point, describing how a fighter establishes a "grip", moves to a "choke" and eventually forces the opponent to "tap".

The exchange continued in June after Mr. Rijiju wished Mr. Gandhi on his 56th birthday. "Thank you for the warm wishes, Kiren Rijiju Ji. When are we doing our jiu-jitsu session?" Mr. Gandhi had responded.

Published - August 23, 2026 04:52 pm IST