Kerala Congress Leaders Lash Out at Shashi Tharoor Over ‘Pro-Modi’ Stance

Senior Congress leaders in Kerala indicated on Sunday (July 20, 2025) that their patience with party MP Shashi Tharoor was wearing thin.

Criticism Over Tharoor’s Political Stance

The leaders intensified their criticism of Mr. Tharoor, a four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram and member of the Congress Working Committee.

They accused him of “recurrently adopting a pro-Prime Minister Narendra Modi line” on matters like foreign policy and national security.

Additionally, they objected to his alleged alignment with the BJP’s perspective on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s role in the “excesses” during the Emergency.

Boycott Call by K. Muraleedharan

Former KPCC president K. Muraleedharan announced that Congress workers would boycott Mr. Tharoor and refrain from inviting him to any party events in Thiruvananthapuram.

“We do not see Mr. Tharoor as one of us any more,” he said. Notably, Mr. Tharoor was reportedly not invited to a recent event held by the All India Professionals Congress, Kerala, in Kochi.

Slim Chances of Reconciliation

Senior Congress leader Rajmohan Unnithan, speaking in New Delhi, implied that reconciliation with Mr. Tharoor was unlikely.

“Mr. Tharoor is an isolated voice in the Congress. The Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha and the high command will likely take a call on Mr. Tharoor’s recurrent deviations from the party line,” he stated.

Accusations of Disloyalty to Congress

Mr. Unnithan emphasized that “no person with Congress blood in his veins” would speak against Indira Gandhi, who, according to him, “martyred herself for the country’s unity.”

He added, “Mr. Tharoor is speaking in the voice of those who seek to destroy the Congress. Everything he is doing is bad for the party, despite having gained immensely from his association with the Congress. His intentions are clear. Mr. Tharoor is perhaps seeking new pastures using his career in the Congress as a stepping stone.”

Tharoor’s Remarks on National Loyalty Stir Controversy

Mr. Tharoor reportedly further displeased the party leadership by asserting that “the nation comes first” during an interaction with students in Kochi last week.

He acknowledged that some might view his stance as disloyalty to the party, but said that he was advocating a multi-partisan approach to national security.

Tharoor Defends His Position

“Which is your first loyalty? To my mind, the nation comes first. Some are critical of me for supporting the armed forces and the government on issues concerning India’s security. But I am standing my ground. It is imperative that political parties put their differences aside when the nation is imperilled,” Mr. Tharoor said.

Citing Nehru on National Interest

Mr. Tharoor stated that politics involves competition, but national interest should be paramount. To underline his views on national security, he quoted India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru: “Who lives when the nation dies?” he asked.