ChatGPT’s 80s Trend Takes Political Turn As BJP, Congress Trade Jibes With AI Images

News india ChatGPT’s 80s Trend Takes Political Turn As BJP, Congress Trade Jibes With AI Images

Last Updated:September 10, 2026, 16:02 IST

The viral ChatGPT ‘80s trend takes a political twist as the Congress and BJP trade barbs through AI-generated images.

The ChatGPT ‘80s trend has taken a political turn, with the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trading barbs over images of the past. The Congress shared an AI-generated image of a street in Gujarat in the 1980s, prompting the BJP to hit back with a picture of Lusiana, Italy, from 1970 — the town where Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was born.

Kerala’s Congress shared an AI-generated image of a man sitting in the driver seat of a Maruti Suzuki Omni with the caption, “A Gujarat street in the 80s."

While the Congress appeared to take a jibe at the BJP, several users drew attention to a poster on a roadside wall that carried a message in Hindi: “Please smile, you are in Delhi."

The post also referred to the van’s long-running presence in Bollywood films. First introduced by India’s biggest carmaker in 1984, the vehicle was often shown as the getaway or transport vehicle of gangsters and villains, eventually earning the popular meme nickname “kidnapping van".

The viral ChatGPT ‘80s trend takes a political twist as the Congress and BJP trade barbs through AI-generated images.

BJP Hits Back

The BJP’s Telangana unit also hit back at the Congress, sharing an AI-generated image of a woman dressed in red, dancing on a table in a bar, surrounded by men looking at her.

The caption of the post on X read, “Lusiana, Italy. Circa-1970s."

While no individual was mentioned by name, the post appeared to refer to the Italian town where Sonia Gandhi was born.

Political Leaders Try ChtGpt’s 80s Trend

Several political leaders also joined the viral ChatGPT ‘80s trend on social media. BJP Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Piyush Goyal were among those who shared AI-generated images as part of the trend.

Rijiju joined the trend with a post on X, writing, “Why is everyone going back to the 80s vibes? I’m also forced to 80s nostalgia,". Goyal also embraced the throwback trend, adding a smiley and writing, “Vibing to the 80s trend."

What Is ChatGPT’s 80s Trend?

The ChatGPT ‘80s trend has taken social media by storm, with users using AI to recreate their photographs in the style of the 1980s. The trend gives modern pictures a retro look, complete with period-specific clothing, hairstyles, colours and backgrounds.

People are also using the trend to imagine how they, their families or familiar places might have looked decades ago. The nostalgic AI-generated images have quickly spread across social media, with celebrities and politicians joining in as well.

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Anushka Vats

Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ...Read More

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