I have some differences of opinion with the Congress party: Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said he has some differences in opinion with the party and that he will discuss them internally at the right time.

"I have been working in Congress for the past 16 years. I have some differences of opinion with the party, and I will discuss them inside the party...Today I don't want to speak it. I need to meet and talk, let the time come, and I will discuss it.... The discussion with the PM was only on matters related to the MPs' delegation. When an issue arises for the nation, it is our responsibility to stand with the nation. When the nation needs my service, I am always ready," Tharoor said.

Tharoor, who led the all-party delegation to the US to highlight India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism, was criticised by some members of the Congress party regarding his comments on Operation Sindoor.

Amid pushback from senior Congress leaders, Tharoor had maintained that now is not the time for internal debates. Speaking to the media, he had earlier said, “This is a time for us to focus on our mission. In a thriving democracy, comments and criticisms are expected, but we can’t afford to dwell on them right now. When we return to India, we will certainly address our critics and speak with our colleagues and the media. For now, our focus remains on the countries we’re visiting and the message we’re delivering.”

Tharoor's remarks during an address to the Indian-American community in New York — where he endorsed India’s military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack — stirred controversy within the Congress. Tharoor clarified that although he belongs to the opposition, he was representing India abroad.

At another diaspora event in Panama, Tharoor highlighted the significance of Operation Sindoor, saying it marked a shift in India’s military posture. “For the first time, India crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to strike a terror base — a launch pad — after the 2016 Uri attack. Even during the Kargil War, we did not cross the LoC,” he said.

The comment drew a sharp response from party colleagues. Congress leader Pawan Khera posted a video clip of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stating that multiple surgical strikes were conducted under the UPA government, tagging Tharoor without comment — a pointed but silent rebuke.

Senior leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the Modi government’s move to include opposition leaders like Tharoor in its foreign delegations, calling it a "cheap political game" done without proper consultation. “The INC will not stoop to the pathetic level of the PM and BJP,” Ramesh posted on X.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj sarcastically suggested Tharoor be appointed as the “super spokesperson of the BJP,” mocking his remarks. “My dear Shashi Tharoor, alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as foreign minister before your return to India. How could you denigrate the Congress’s golden history by suggesting that before PM Modi, India never crossed the LoC?” Raj posted on X.

It is not the first time that Tharoor has been at odds with his own party members. Earlier this year, he drew criticism for praising the Left government in Kerala in a newspaper column, fueling speculation about his political future.

With the Kerala Assembly elections due by May 2026, there has been ongoing chatter about whether Tharoor might switch allegiances.

However, Tharoor has dismissed any speculation about joining the BJP, citing deep ideological differences.