Is Shashi Tharoor Joining BJP? Congress Leader Says 'Will Serve India' After Praising PM Modi

Shashi Tharoor's remarks, however, were widely interpreted as politically loaded, especially at a time when MP's relationship with the Congress high command has appeared increasingly strained.

Tharoor's comments on India’s diplomatic strategy and Indo-Pak relations, including after the recent Pahalgam terror attack, have often deviated from the party’s official stance.

Source : X

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday firmly denied speculation about switching sides to the BJP, clarifying that his recent praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was meant as a reflection of national interest rather than political alignment. Speaking at an event in the capital, Tharoor responded to reactions triggered by his oped article to a media publication, where he acknowledged Modi’s “energy, dynamism and willingness to engage” as valuable assets in India’s global diplomacy, particularly in the context of Operation Sindoor, a recent foreign outreach initiative.

"It is not a sign of my leaping to join the prime minister's party (the BJP) as some people unfortunately have been implying. It is a statement of national unity, of national interest and of standing up for India, which to my mind is fundamentally why I came back to India after 25 years of service at the UN. I did so to serve India, and I am very proud to have the opportunity to do so," Thiruvananthapuram MP said, reported PTI. 

The remarks, however, were widely interpreted as politically loaded, especially at a time when Tharoor's relationship with the Congress high command has appeared increasingly strained. His comments on India’s diplomatic strategy and Indo-Pak relations, including after the recent Pahalgam terror attack, have often deviated from the party’s official stance.

Congress Distances Itself From Tharoor's Views 

Reacting to the controversy, Congress distanced itself from Tharoor’s views. Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, as per a report on the agency, "It may be his own opinion, it is not the opinion of the Congress party. It is not the Congress' view since we have presented our views with evidence and proof." 

Shrinate also criticised the government for failing to push back against the recent U.S. travel advisory for India, calling it “damaging to the country’s global image” and urging the Centre to raise the matter diplomatically.