Shashi Tharoor’s Praise for Modi’s Russia-Ukraine Stance Stirs Congress Tensions

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine war has pleased the state BJP leadership.

The BJP anticipates that Tharoor’s remarks could deepen divisions within the Congress party, especially with the state assembly elections approaching in 2026.

During an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, Tharoor admitted that he had been mistaken in opposing Modi’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict during a parliamentary debate in 2022.

Following his statement, BJP state president K Surendran responded on X, saying, “Dear Shashi Tharoor Ji, I have always admired your candour. Your honesty in saying ‘I opposed it initially’ and now praising Modiplomacy’s success on Russia-Ukraine is commendable. Unlike your INC peers, you see India’s global rise under PM Narendra Modi ji, truly a refreshing take!”

Tharoor’s Strategy Beyond Congress Base

A senior BJP leader commented that Tharoor’s statement should not be seen as a shift towards BJP but rather as part of his broader political strategy.

“We don’t see it as a shift in Tharoor’s approach towards the BJP. He has been known for taking a stand different from the Congress leadership. Through such statements, he is trying to garner support beyond the support base of the Congress,” the BJP leader noted.

The leader also pointed out that Tharoor had previously acknowledged that support from non-Congress voters contributed to his victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency.

“Rajeev Chandrasekhar has managed to increase the BJP vote share this time, and Tharoor’s statement is aimed at appealing to non-BJP voters who supported Rajeev Chandrasekhar,” he added.

Internal Turmoil Within Congress

The BJP expects that Tharoor’s praise of Modi’s foreign policy will create confusion within the Congress ranks and trigger internal conflicts, especially among those aspiring for the chief ministerial post in Kerala.

“We will wait for his next move. The BJP does not expect Tharoor to join the party. However, if he expresses willingness, I don’t think the national leadership will ignore him. Last time there were some discussions, but it did not materialise as he was not interested in joining the BJP. We don’t think he has changed his mind,” the BJP leader stated.

BJP Uses Tharoor’s Remarks to Criticise Congress

The BJP seized the opportunity to criticise the Congress after Tharoor admitted he was left with “egg on his face” for opposing India’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.

BJP leaders claimed that Tharoor’s statement would leave Rahul Gandhi embarrassed.

Former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar remarked that PM Modi’s vision for India and the world was even being acknowledged by opposition leaders.

“Congress men, including Rahul (Gandhi), Chidambaram, Raghuram Rajan, are all having to eat their words (or egg on face) on economy, UPI, manufacturing and so much more,” Chandrasekhar wrote on social media.

Amit Malviya, BJP IT Cell chief, said Tharoor’s remarks would likely put Rahul Gandhi in an awkward position.

“This will likely leave Rahul Gandhi red-faced, with the Congress media department scrambling to clarify that Shashi Tharoor’s remarks reflect his personal views – not the party’s official stance – despite Tharoor having led the party’s charge on the issue in Parliament,” Malviya posted on X.

Tharoor Acknowledges Modi’s Diplomatic Success

Tharoor’s remarks at the Raisina Dialogue marked the second time in a month that he had praised Modi’s foreign policy.

The Kerala MP, who has served as Minister of State for External Affairs, highlighted that Modi’s balanced stance allowed him to maintain positive relations with both Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

“I am still wiping the egg off my face because I am one person in the parliamentary debate who actually criticised the Indian position in February 2022… the policy has meant that India actually has a prime minister who can hug both the president of Ukraine and the president in Moscow two weeks apart and be accepted in both places,” Tharoor stated.

Unlike Western and European leaders, Modi has not sided with any country in the war and has consistently advocated for peace. Tharoor had earlier described Modi’s visit to the US as “very good,” stating that several major concerns were addressed.

Congress Faces Pressure Over Tharoor’s Comments

BJP leaders suggested that Tharoor’s comments could cause internal discord within the Congress. They speculated that the party’s leadership would be forced to clarify that Tharoor’s views were personal and not reflective of the party’s stance.

Tharoor, however, stood by his remarks. Speaking to ANI, he said, “The comments speak for themselves. Nothing to add.”

India’s Role in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Tharoor also spoke about India’s possible role in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He suggested that India should maintain a cautious approach for now. “At this stage, I’m not aware of India having been asked to do anything,” he said.

Tharoor noted that former US President Donald Trump had initiated talks with the Russians and suggested that India should wait unless invited to participate in peace efforts.

He highlighted India’s history of peacekeeping and indicated that any involvement would depend on the nature of the agreement and the role India would be expected to play in implementing it.