Shashi Tharoor clears the air on praise for PM Modi: ‘Not joining BJP, just standing up for India’

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday firmly dismissed speculation about a political realignment, saying his recent article praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic outreach was not a sign of “leaping to join” the BJP but a statement of national unity and interest.

Congress MP Tharoor’s clarification comes after his op-ed in The Hindu, published on Monday, triggered political murmurs within the Congress party. In the piece, he lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “energy, dynamism and willingness to engage,” calling the BJP leader a “prime asset” for India on the global stage that deserved “greater backing.”

The article by Tharoor, centred on India’s multi-nation diplomatic effort following the Pahalgam terror attack, drew sharp attention—especially as the Prime Minister’s Office shared it on X (formerly Twitter), further fuelling speculation.

“It is not a sign of my leaping to join the prime minister’s party (the BJP), as some people unfortunately have been implying,” said the Thiruvananthapuram MP at an event.

“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.”

Tharoor continued: “I did so to serve India, and I am very proud to have the opportunity to do so.”

A Diplomatic Mission Beyond Politics For Tharoor

Shashi Tharoor explained that his article focused on the diplomatic success of Operation Sindoor, a government-led outreach initiative aimed at countering Pakistan’s narrative following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives.

“People always tend to see all this in the context of today’s news,” he noted.

“It is an article in which I describe the success of this outreach mission, which, amongst other things, showcased the unity of all parties behind the matter of vital national interest.”

Shashi Tharoor emphasised Modi’s foreign engagement as a national strength.

“The Prime Minister himself has demonstrated dynamism and energy in engaging with other countries. He has travelled to more countries than any prime minister and done so to take the message of India around the world.”

He added that the delegation’s efforts were meant to present a united front:

“What we all did was give his efforts that backup by bringing to bear the strength of all of India’s different political parties, backgrounds, groups, religions—and convey to the world that message that a united India stands for.”

“Today it is a message against terrorism, tomorrow it could be a message on something else, but that backing up, I believe, is very important.”

‘No BJP Foreign Policy, No Congress Foreign Policy’

To underscore his argument, Tharoor invoked a well-known American dictum that “political differences should stop at the water’s edge.”

“I, too, have believed for the longest time that political differences in our democracy should stop at the borders,” he said.

“For us, it seems to me there is really no such thing as a BJP foreign policy or a Congress foreign policy—there is only Indian foreign policy and Indian national interest.”

“I am not saying something new. I said this very many years ago, and I said this publicly, on the record, the very first time when I became the chairman of the External Affairs Committee back in 2014.”

Congress Uneasy, But Shashi Tharoor Holds Firm

While his remarks have ruffled feathers within the Congress—already critical of the Modi government’s foreign policy, which it claims has left India “isolated”—Congress MP Tharoor maintained that his stance is consistent with his long-held views.

In his article, Shashi Tharoor wrote:

“The diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor was a moment of national resolve and effective communication. It affirmed that India, when united, can project its voice with clarity and conviction on international platforms.”

Tharoor led a multi-party delegation to the United States, part of a larger Indian initiative that dispatched seven delegations to 33 global capitals, underscoring Pakistan’s alleged role in terrorism.

Notably, Tharoor has at times expressed views on the India–Pakistan dynamic that deviate from his party's line—drawing both internal criticism and occasional jibes.

‘Still Loyal to Congress’

Despite ongoing speculation, Shashi Tharoor reiterated his commitment to the Congress party, while admitting to internal differences.

Last week, speaking in Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor said:

“I have differences of opinion with some in the party leadership, but I am not going to speak about them in light of the byelection in Kerala’s Nilambur constituency.”

He concluded on a personal note:

“The Congress, its values and its workers are very dear to me.