From speeches that resonated worldwide to comments and disputes that sparked memes and discussions, various politicians dominated search trends and social media feeds.
Explore the leaders who made waves and went viral in 2025:
PM Modi: India will identify, track and punish…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to be one of the most followed political figures worldwide in 2025. One of the most significant moments of the year followed a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, resulting in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists, at the hands of armed assailants.
Shortly after the attack, Modi addressed a rally in Bihar’s Madhubani district amid election season. Known for his Hindi speeches even at global forums, the Prime Minister made a rare transition to English to ensure his message reached a broader audience.
“Today, from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world, India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” Modi stated.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the Pahalgam terror attack during a public meeting in Bihar’s Madhubani
He asserts, “Today, on the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world, India will identify, trace and punish every terrorist and their backers.… pic.twitter.com/216kBwOryv— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2025
The shift in language captured online attention. Soon after, India executed Operation Sindoor in May 2025, a swift military initiative targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Zohran Mamdani’s ‘tryst with destiny’
Zohran Kwame Mamdani made history as the first Indian-origin and first Muslim Mayor of New York City (NYC). The 34-year-old Democratic Socialist is scheduled to be sworn in on January 1, 2026, succeeding Eric Adams.
Prior to the election result, Mamdani gained attention for his social media campaign during the NYC mayoral race. Following his victory, his speech on November 4 went viral across various platforms.
Referencing Jawaharlal Nehru’s “Tryst with Destiny” speech, Mamdani declared, “A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new… Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new.”
He also cited American socialist leader Eugene Debs, stating he could “see the dawn of a better day for humanity.” His interaction with Donald Trump further kept him in the spotlight.
Deepender Hooda’s Mc’Donald’ remarks
In Parliament, some discussions stand out not for data or legislation, but for unexpected mentions. Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda delivered two such speeches over a decade apart, linked by one recurring name: McDonald’s.
During a debate about Operation Sindoor in the Parliament’s monsoon session, Hooda reacted strongly to former US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims regarding the India–Pakistan ceasefire mediation.
“Either silence Donald, shut Donald’s mouth, or shut down McDonald’s in India,” Hooda stated during the debate.
When INDI Alliance MPs mocked the #OperationSindoor. A thread:
Deependra Singh Hooda (Congress):“Donald ko chup karao, warna India mein McDonald ko band karao.”
Seriously? ???????? pic.twitter.com/tQmRFDfLDn
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 28, 2025
The clips of his remarks quickly surfaced online. It also resurrected a previous speech from 2012, when Hooda had taken a very different stance. At that time, he urged McDonald’s to source potatoes from Haryana, claiming that farmers in the state could produce “24-inch potatoes” for the company’s fries.
Rekha Gupta’s AQI definition
After a 25-year hiatus, the BJP regained power in Delhi. While the spotlight was on senior leaders, the party appointed Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA, as Chief Minister. This decision marked a significant step forward for female leadership in the national capital.
Gupta remained in the news throughout the year, often due to viral verbal slips and her unconventional approach to Delhi’s air pollution crisis. She made unexpected statements regarding the pollution situation.
One viral moment occurred when football star Lionel Messi visited the city. During an event, attendees reportedly began chanting “AQI, AQI.” Numerous clips of this incident circulated widely on social media.
Nitish Kumar’s viral hijab row
Nitish Kumar led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to a decisive victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. This win made him the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth term, establishing him as the longest-serving Chief Minister in the state’s history, with approximately two decades of combined tenure.
Yet, towards the year’s end, Kumar found himself embroiled in a national controversy. Earlier this month, during an event at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat called ‘Samvad’, he distributed appointment letters to over 1,000 AYUSH doctors.
During this event, Kumar approached Dr. Nusrat Parveen, a newly appointed Muslim doctor, questioned her face veil by asking, “What is this?” and subsequently pulled it down to expose her face. A video of the incident, which went viral, sparked widespread criticism and debate across the nation.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pulled the veil of a woman while handing out appointment letters to Ayush practitioners. Even the Deputy CM attempted to intervene. He wouldn’t have acted this way if he were in his senses. There are several such videos of him behaving awkwardly. pic.twitter.com/M3za0FkQFe
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 15, 2025
