Between Loyalty And Liberty: What Shashi Tharoor Reveals About Congress's Future

News18

24-05-2025

Last Updated:
Tharoor's conundrum reveals lack of internal democracy, Gandhis' unchallenged authority, Kharge's limitations, and Congress's inconsistent support for national diplomacy
Shashi Tharoor, the articulate Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, remains a paradoxical figure within the Indian National Congress—a party he has bolstered with his global stature as a former UN diplomat and consistent electoral success, yet frequently finds himself at odds with its leadership.
His role in India's diplomatic response to the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025 has exposed deep-seated tensions. The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, selected Tharoor to head an all-party delegation to the UK and four other global capitals to present India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan, overriding Congress's nominations.
The party had submitted a list of four leaders: Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. But only Sharma was included as a member in one delegation, with the others sidelined.
This move, while capitalising on Tharoor's diplomatic finesse, triggered discontent within Congress, highlighting its struggle to balance individual prominence with collective loyalty. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh, without naming Tharoor, remarked: 'Congress mein hona aur Congress ka hona mein zameen-aasmaan ka antar hai" [There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress], critiquing actions seen as too aligned with the government's narrative.
Tharoor's conundrum—navigating personal conviction amid party expectations—reveals four critical fault lines: the lack of internal democracy, the Gandhi family's unchallenged authority, Mallikarjun Kharge's limitations as president, and Congress's inconsistent support for national diplomacy when it conflicts with partisan goals. These fissures, amplified by Tharoor's high-profile role, underscore Congress's broader challenge to redefine its identity in a dynamic political landscape.
This independent streak has come at a cost. Tharoor, once projected as a thinking statesman within the Congress, finds himself increasingly sidelined—denied leadership roles, overlooked for major responsibilities, and gently nudged out of the party's inner circle. His bid for Congress presidency was welcomed by the public but treated coldly by party loyalists who view any deviation from the anti-Modi script as disloyalty.
But Tharoor's approach is not about supporting Modi—it's about supporting India when it does something right. In a healthier political ecosystem, such nuance would be celebrated. In today's Congress, it's punished. His real 'error" is daring to speak as a statesman in a time of sycophancy, where dissent within is discouraged and pragmatism mistaken for betrayal.
Lack of Internal Democracy
The Congress party, historically a broad coalition that led India's freedom struggle, has struggled to maintain internal democracy in its post-Independence avatar.
Tharoor's 2022 bid for the Congress presidency against Mallikarjun Kharge was a rare moment of competitive succession, the first in over two decades without a Gandhi at the helm. Despite a 96 per cent voter turnout and Tharoor securing a respectable 1,072 votes (11.42 per cent) against Kharge's 7,897, the process was marred by allegations of irregularities, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where Tharoor's team flagged 'serious malpractices."
The election, while symbolically significant, underscored the party's resistance to genuine reform. Tharoor's campaign, which emphasised change over continuity, resonated with a section of delegates, yet the party's organisational structure—dominated by loyalists appointed by the high command—ensured Kharge's victory.
The absence of published electoral rolls for the 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee members further fuelled skepticism about the election's fairness. Tharoor's subsequent marginalisation, evident in his exclusion from the 43-member steering committee formed by Kharge, highlights a party culture that stifles dissent and rewards conformity over merit. This lack of internal democracy not only alienates leaders like Tharoor but also hampers Congress's ability to evolve as a dynamic opposition force.
Gandhi Family as the Final Voice
The Gandhi family's grip on Congress remains the defining feature of its internal politics. Tharoor's presidential candidacy, though not explicitly anti-Gandhi, was perceived as a challenge to the status quo, given Kharge's backing by the party's establishment, implicitly the Gandhis.
His defeat, while expected, did not end the scrutiny of his loyalty. In 2023, Tharoor's candid remark that Congress is 'in many ways a family-run party" while discussing potential prime ministerial candidates (naming Kharge or Rahul Gandhi) drew sharp reactions, as it echoed the BJP's long-standing critique of Congress as dynastic.
This statement, made in the context of Rahul Gandhi's attempts to deflect dynasty allegations by pointing to BJP leaders' kin, underscored the sensitivity within Congress to any narrative that questions the Gandhis' centrality. Tharoor's inclusion in the Congress Working Committee in 2023 was seen as a conciliatory gesture, but his repeated divergence from the party line—most recently on India-Pakistan diplomacy—has reignited tensions.
Party sources have accused him of crossing the 'Lakshman Rekha," signaling that no voice, however articulate or credible, can overshadow the Gandhis' authority. This dynamic ensures that talented leaders like Tharoor are either co-opted or sidelined, leaving little room for independent thought or leadership.
Mallikarjun Kharge's Limitations as President
Mallikarjun Kharge's election as Congress president in 2022 was hailed as a step toward a non-Gandhi leadership, yet his tenure has exposed the constraints of his role. Kharge, a seasoned leader with a strong organisational background, was seen as a safe choice—loyal to the Gandhis and unlikely to disrupt the party's power structure.
However, his presidency has struggled to articulate a clear ideological or strategic vision for Congress. On critical issues, such as the India-Pakistan conflict following Operation Sindoor in May 2025, the party's stance has been inconsistent. While Congress lauded the armed forces' success, it questioned the Modi government's ceasefire agreement, particularly former US President Donald Trump's claims of mediation.
Kharge's leadership has failed to reconcile these contradictions, leaving room for individual leaders like Tharoor to fill the void with their own views. Tharoor's praise for the government's 'restraint and precision" in the strikes contrasted with the party's skepticism, exposing Kharge's inability to enforce a unified narrative. His role as a 'rubber stamp," as critics have suggested, limits his authority to steer the party beyond the Gandhis' directives, rendering Congress's responses reactive and fragmented. This leadership vacuum undermines the party's credibility as a cohesive opposition.
Fleeting Support for India's Diplomacy
Tharoor's selection to lead an all-party delegation to five global capitals in May 2025 to present India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan was a testament to his diplomatic acumen. However, the move sparked controversy within Congress, as his name was not among the four MPs recommended by Rahul Gandhi and Kharge.
The government's decision to include Tharoor, bypassing Congress's nominees, was slammed by the party's communication chief and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh, who emphasised the party's exclusion from the decision. Tharoor's vocal support for the government's military response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, and his dismissal of Trump's mediation claims as a politician 'wanting to take credit", aligned closely with the government's narrative.
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This stance, while praised by some as patriotic, drew ire from Congress leaders, who felt it undermined the party's critical posture. The episode revealed Congress's inability to sustain a unified stance on national interest issues when they conflict with partisan goals. Tharoor's insistence that he spoke as an Indian, not a party spokesperson loyal to Gandhi family highlighted the tension between individual conviction and collective discipline, exposing Congress's discomfort with leaders who prioritise national unity over party loyalty.
The author teaches journalism at St Xavier's College (autonomous), Kolkata. His handle on X is @sayantan_gh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views.
tags :
Anand Sharma India-Pakistan ties Mallikarjun Kharge Operation Sindoor Rahul Gandhi shashi tharoor
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
May 24, 2025, 10:12 IST
News opinion Opinion | Between Loyalty And Liberty: What Shashi Tharoor Reveals About Congress's Future