New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has ruled out joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), clarifying that the article in which he praised the Prime Minister’s diplomacy was an effort to call for national unity and not a declaration of switching sides.
“None of what I said in that article was a recommendation to him (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) or that I am going to join the Prime Minister’s party (BJP), as some people have been saying,” he said at an event in Moscow on Tuesday.
“In fact, it was an expression of national unity, national interest, and national solidarity, and this, to my mind, is what brought me back to India after 25 years of service at the UN,” he added.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who had led a delegation to the US and four other countries to brief them on India’s position on terrorism after the April 22 Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, described the outreach as a “moment of national resolve and effective communication.”
“I wrote about the success of this outreach mission, which, among other things, also demonstrates the unity of all parties. The Prime Minister has gone to more countries than his predecessors to take India’s message to the world,” he added.
Citing an American saying, he said, “Political differences in our democracy should stop at the borders. There is only Indian foreign policy and Indian national interest.”
As Congress leadership was not pleased with Tharoor’s decision to stay apart from the party line, the Congress General Secretary, Jairam Ramesh, criticized the government’s decision to include Tharoor in the Operation Sindoor delegation. He said that the party had proposed the names of Gaurav Gogoi and Anand Sharma.
Nonetheless, Tharoor is unrepentant, saying, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve India. My long-held belief (which I articulated when I was the Chairman of the External Affairs Committee in 2014) is that foreign policy transcends party lines. “
The row underlines the Congress’ ongoing rift, as some party leaders saw Tharoor’s comments as compromising the party’s stand. However, his defense of national interest over party politics makes it clear that he will remain an independent voice in the party.