By accepting the government’s invitation to lead a diplomatic delegation without Congress’s approval, Tharoor may have further isolated himself from his party. Is national duty being used as a political shield?
BY Navin Upadhyay
New Delhi, May 17, 2025 — The long-simmering tensions between senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and the party’s high command appear to be reaching a breaking point. Once a celebrated intellectual face of the party, Tharoor now finds himself increasingly at odds with the leadership — with his growing proximity to the ruling BJP-led government raising eyebrows and suspicions within Congress ranks.
The latest flashpoint is Tharoor’s inclusion by the Centre in a high-profile diplomatic delegation to the United States under “Operation Sindoor,” a post-conflict outreach mission. While Tharoor called it a “great honour” and a “duty to the nation,” Congress leaders were visibly rattled. Not only had the party sent a list of its own nominees — Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Warring — but it was also blindsided when Tharoor was named the delegation’s head.
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Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh openly accused the government of “playing games” with a “mischievous mindset,” warning that MPs cannot be co-opted into official delegations without consulting their parties. The incident rekindled an internal debate that had begun simmering ever since Tharoor’s decision to contest for the Congress presidency against the party’s preferred consensus candidate, Mallikarjun Kharge, in 2022.
I am honoured by the invitation of the government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation’s point of view on recent events.
When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting.
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/b4Qjd12cN9
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 17, 2025
A Lone Wolf in the Grand Old Party
Tharoor’s 2022 campaign was a bold but controversial move. While his challenge to Kharge was framed as a bid for internal democracy, it was also seen as defiance — a declaration that he would not play second fiddle to the Gandhi family’s political choices. Though he lost, Tharoor gained considerable support, especially among the urban middle class and Congress’ more liberal base.
But within party corridors, his loss was also interpreted as the beginning of his marginalization. Over the past two years, his visibility in Congress strategy meetings has diminished, and his statements — particularly those echoing nationalist or government-leaning positions — have often been out of sync with the party line.
He has praised Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy on several occasions, called for a “less obstructionist” opposition approach in Parliament, and even supported some economic reforms touted by the BJP. While Tharoor has insisted that his comments reflect “constructive criticism” and “national interest,” party insiders view them as thinly veiled overtures to the other side.
National Duty or Political Realignment?
Tharoor’s remarks following his inclusion in the Operation Sindoor delegation have only deepened those suspicions. “This has nothing to do with politics,” he stated, sidestepping Congress’s disapproval and emphasizing national interest over party loyalty. To his critics, it sounded like someone laying the groundwork for a broader political shift.
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In recent months, Tharoor has also found support in unexpected quarters. Senior BJP leaders, including some Union ministers, have publicly praised his articulation on global issues. Speculation is rife that the BJP might see in him a useful crossover figure — urbane, internationally respected, and capable of lending ideological breadth to their increasingly majoritarian image.
For now, Shashi Tharoor remains a Congress MP. But the rift is hard to ignore. If he continues to be seen as an independent operator — or worse, a backchannel ally of the BJP — the Congress may be left with little choice but to formally distance itself.
Whether Tharoor will walk away voluntarily or be pushed out remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the party of Nehru and Gandhi may no longer have space for the diplomat-turned-politician who once seemed its most promising global statesman.
