Tharoor ends speculation on ‘leaving Congress’ at Manorama Hortus; reveals why he praises BJP

Kochi: Shashi Tharoor has put to rest all speculation about his political future, firmly declaring at Manorama Hortus 2025 that he has no intention of leaving the Congress party. “I have been working sincerely for the Congress for 16 years. I am currently a Congress MP, and I have heard the question of whether I would leave the party a hundred times.

“But let me say it straight, I have not even moved a finger to leave the party. Nobody has even asked me to leave the party,” he said during the session ‘Tharoorinte Lokam’ with Manorama News journalist Shani Prabhakaran.

However, he immediately corrected himself on the latter part with characteristic candour. “Sorry, some people might have demanded that I leave Congress, but my party itself has never asked me to leave.”

Tharoor also dismissed reports that the Congress is considering him for the Nemom seat in the next Assembly elections or preparing him as a “surprise” Chief Minister candidate for Kerala.

“I am hearing it for the first time. I am currently building a house in Thiruvananthapuram. I prefer to stay there. I am unaware of any rumour that I will contest from Nemom or be the ‘surprise’ CM candidate. The party has not asked me. They know me and my abilities. I have never craved a position. Position is not important to me. But if I am given any opportunity to do something for Kerala or the nation, I will not run away and I will take it as a challenge,” he said.

Responding to questions about his recent praise for the BJP on certain issues, Tharoor said he remains a strong opponent of the party’s Hindutva politics. “BJP’s political personality is always Hindutva, and I have always opposed it. Though I have been in politics for just 16 years, I have been writing for 45 years about a pluralistic India. India’s diversity is like a ‘thali meal’- many different dishes, each unique, but together it becomes a feast. I have always been a voice for that diverse India. I will not change that,” he said.

At the same time, he said it would be inaccurate to label every BJP leader as communal. “You cannot say everyone in the BJP is a proponent of communalism. My opposition is to their Hindutva stance.”

Tharoor said he has no hesitation in supporting the Centre on matters that benefit India. “On development, their focus on technology, and issues related to war and foreign affairs, I have no difficulty standing with the Central Government. Foreign policy is not Congress policy or BJP policy; it is India’s policy. Like Sree Narayana Guru said, ‘Whichever the religion, it suffices if man improves,’ my policy is: ‘Whichever the politics, it suffices if the nation improves’,” he said.

He added an example to justify citing that when he first arrived in Thiruvananthapuram after becoming a minister, he did not go to a party reception first. “I went to meet Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan. I told him that as the representative of the capital, I should be available for any need. That does not mean I became a Communist,” he said.

‘People accepted some Modi policies, that’s why BJP won again’
Tharoor said citizens need not accept every policy of Narendra Modi, but some have undeniably gained public approval. “Whichever party puts forward a policy, what matters is whether people accept it. When Vajpayee brought the ‘India Shining’ campaign, people did not feel their lives were shining and that opened the way for the UPA.

“Later, Modi came to power. We don’t have to accept all his policies. But the fact that they came back again is proof that people accepted some of them,” he said.
Asked which Modi-government schemes he supports, Tharoor highlighted the Swachh Bharat Mission and the Ujjwala Yojana, though with caveats. “Ujjwala was not fully successful, but Modi’s attempt itself was good,” he said.

On the Citizenship Amendment Act, Tharoor reiterated his opposition. “The BJP's behaviour against a specific community cannot be accepted. I once asked Narendra Modi about this. He asked me, ‘Can you say in which of our schemes we look at an individual's community and deny them anything?’ Isn’t that true? But certain things happen during election time. I have written against that. I will never support Modi on the Hindutva issue. I stand against deporting citizens. Such actions will not benefit the nation,” he said.

Tharoor said people cannot simply oppose everything without offering solutions. He criticised Kerala’s financial situation. “Kerala is in bad debt compared to other states. We are owed central funds and there is no dispute. But what happened regarding the PM-SHRI fund? To get that, the National Education Policy (NEP) must be implemented. I have not seen any saffronisation or communalism in that policy. Should our children study in leaking buildings just because we oppose a certain ideology?” he asked.

He also highlighted the state’s poor investment climate, referencing two investor suicides. “They invested their lifetime savings here. But they got trapped in trade unionism and other issues.”

Asked about his relationship with the Congress leadership, Tharoor was measured. “I don’t dare to say I am part of the leadership now because I have not been given such roles. I am a Working Committee member, but I don’t know if that has the standing of a leader. But I am a Congress MP. If the party needs me, let them say so,” he said.

He also denied rumours that the Centre might nominate him as India’s candidate for UN Secretary-General. “Even after leaving my international career, I have been offered opportunities to return as Under Secretary General. I didn’t want it. I want to be fully committed to serving India.”

On campaigning for the UDF for elections, Tharoor said he campaigned for 56 UDF candidates in the last Assembly elections, during which he contracted COVID. “If the Congress asks, I will do it again,” he said.

On whether the Congress should project a CM face against Pinarayi Vijayan, he said “it is the people who project a leader. In Tamil Nadu, regardless of the candidate, everyone voted for Jayalalithaa. In Bengal, people look at Mamata Banerjee. I am not the person to suggest Congress’s Chief Minister candidate.”