Will Shashi Tharoor join BJP? Congress MP says ‘There is always an option to…’

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor’s alleged involvement in intra-party differences within Congress has been in the news for almost a week. The rumours triggered speculations about Tharoor joining the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with reports claiming Rahul Gandhi is sidelining him amid disgruntlement in the Kerala cadre. 

Will Shahi Tharoor join BJP?

“I have always been a classic liberal. I oppose communalism and believe in social justice alongside economic growth,” Shashi Tharoor told The Indian Express in an exclusive chat.

On Joining BJP

On being asked if he would join BJP, Congress MP told the media outlet, “No, every party has their own belief and history. It is not right to join other party if you can’t embrace their belief. I don’t think that is right.”

“But there is always an option to be independent. In today’s time party is a vehicle one needs to carry organisational strength to carry those values forward,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.

On Tuesday, Shashi Tharoor posted a selfie on X with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK’s Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds.

Sharing the post on Tuesday, Shashi Tharoor called the revival of the “long-stalled FTA negotiations” most welcome.

On Rift with Congress

Shashi Tharoor announced in 2024 that that was his last parliamentary election. While addressing the issue of intra-party conflicts in the Congress, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said, “Some in my own party oppose me, but I speak for India and Kerala’s future.” He further insisted that despite facing criticism, he is loyal to Congress and is willing to take on a larger role in the party if required.

“I didn’t enter politics as a career,” Tharoor emphasized, highlighting his background in the United Nations before being invited by Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, to join electoral politics.

“If the party wants to utilize my strengths, I’ll be there. If not, I have other options,” MP Tharoor told the media outlet.

On Congress Criticism for Praising Modi

Shashi Tharoor remarked that he did not consider himself a “primary politician” and intended to work in the interest of the people.

Tharoor told Indian Express that he has expressed opinions on several issues that were not “liked by Congress” in the past, and he has been facing this situation for a long time.

“I opposed Nehru’s panchayati raj, I opposed BJP’s Hindutva and communal agenda, I oppose Left ideology. I oppose Emergency, it was wrong and it suspended our state liberties and freedom of expression. I have criticised everyone at some point. I have opinions, and sometimes they are not liked by my party. I have been facing that for a long; no point in discussing it,” he said.

“I have criticised the Left party many times, but it was taken for granted once I said something nice. It has become a big deal. I don’t need to justify myself. I expressed my opinion,” the Congress leader added.

Congress calls Meeting of Senior Leaders

Amid rumours of rift, Congress  has called a meeting of its senior leaders of Assam and Kerala in Delhi with party President Mallikarjun Khadge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on 27 – 28 February.

Following this announcement, MP Shashi Tharoor said, “You all heard the podcast, what was the controversy about? I still haven’t understood the controversy. Now that you have heard the whole podcast, can you tell me what your question is, I am happy to respond. It is a podcast, a 45-minute conversation about life and pursuits of Happiness, nothing there much about any political controversy. A meeting of party has been called on Friday, I will be there with everyone else”

Why was Shashi Tharoor in the News?

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor first earned the scorn of some of his congressmates after he praised PM Modi. Tharoor had said, “What we have seen from the press statements by the Prime Minister and President Trump are very encouraging. Some of the big concerns we all had have been addressed.”

The Congress MP hailed, “The commitment to sell the F-35 stealth aircraft is very valuable because that is a state-of-the-art aircraft.” This was directly in contradiction to Congress leader Randeep Surjewala’s statement.

Surjewala had remarked, “The F-35, which Elon Musk has described as ‘junk’, why is Narendra Modi hell-bent on buying it?”

Shashi Tharoor also praised Kerala’s entrepreneurial growth under the LDF government. In an article in The New Indian Express, Tharoor highlighted the government’s achievements in fostering a positive startup ecosystem and introducing new industrial policies.

Shashi Tharoor’s article offered the ruling LDF a chance to refute the opposition UDF’s claims that the state has been lagging in development and economic growth, The New Indian Express reported.

The UDF strongly flayed Tharoor, accusing him of “overlooking” the industrial sector’s achievements during its tenure in the state.