Tharoor’s praise for PM Modi once again rattles Congress, sparks fresh buzz over BJP shift

New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has once again stirred debate within political circles — and within his own party — after penning a piece for The Hindu praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s global leadership. The article, which lauded Modi's "energy, dynamism and willingness to engage" on the international stage, has sparked fresh speculation of a possible shift in political allegiance, especially after the Prime Minister’s Office shared the piece on X.

The column, titled ‘Lessons from Operation Sindoor’s Global Outreach’, was published on Monday and focused on India’s diplomatic engagement following the Pahalgam terror attack. Tharoor led one of seven all-party delegations to countries across the Western Hemisphere — including the US, Brazil, Colombia, Panama and Guyana — as part of the outreach campaign.
 

In the article, the Thiruvananthapuram MP argued that Modi’s leadership was a “prime asset” for India globally and said the success of Operation Sindoor’s diplomatic component demonstrated the strength of unified national resolve. He also described how the cross-party composition of the delegations helped deliver India’s message with greater credibility, calling the diplomatic response “as vital as the military one”.

The PMO’s endorsement of Tharoor’s article on social media, with the caption, “Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Dr Shashi Tharoor writes – Lessons from Operation Sindoor’s global outreach,” raised eyebrows across party lines. BJP leaders quickly seized the opportunity, with national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari declaring that Tharoor had “exposed” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by acknowledging Modi’s global appeal.

While Tharoor has reiterated his commitment to the Congress, his consistent praise of Modi on foreign policy has often contradicted the party's aggressive stance against the BJP government. His recent comments in Panama, where he again endorsed Modi’s handling of cross-border terror, had already drawn flak from Congress' Kerala unit. Critics within the party questioned his absence during the recent Nilambur bypoll campaign in Kerala — a seat the Congress won — interpreting it as further evidence of growing disconnect.

Tharoor, however, maintained that his views reflect a commitment to national interest over partisanship. He had added that representing India abroad as part of an all-party delegation does not compromise his loyalty to the Congress or its ideology.

Still, his remarks have prompted renewed speculation of a high-profile political crossover — something he has consistently denied. Even so, BJP’s repeated amplification of his statements, and the PMO’s social media gesture, signal a growing interest in projecting Tharoor as a Congress outlier more in tune with the BJP’s global vision.

Whether Tharoor is simply taking a principled, independent line on diplomacy or positioning himself for a political realignment remains unclear. What is evident, however, is that his latest endorsement of Modi has once again caused unease within the Congress — and given the BJP another reason to keep him in its sights.