'For some, Modi is first': Mallikarjun Kharge takes dig at Shashi Tharoor; remains mum on action

Time of India

4 hours ago

Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge (File photos)
NEW DELHI: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took a vitriolic dig at party leader Shashi Tharoor, saying "for some, Modi is first".
When asked about Tharoor's recent article in The Hindu, where he called PM Modi "a prime asset for India on the global stage", Kharge said: "I can't read English, but his language is very good, that's why we made him a member of the party's working committee.
But what I want to say is that all of us, the entire opposition, have come together and said we stand with our Army, our Army that is fighting, we are with them."
"We say nation first, but some consider Modi first, country later. What can we do about that? " Kharge asked.
Responding to whether Congress was afraid of taking action against Tharoor, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha said the Thiruvananthapuram MP was speaking "according to his wishes".
"We are more worried about saving the nation," Kharge said, shrugging off the Tharoor question that was asked for the second time during the press brief.
However, Tharoor has scotched off the speculations that he may switch parties or join Congress's arch political rival, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Tharoor on Tuesday clarified that his recent article praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic efforts under
Operation Sindoor
should not be misconstrued as an indication of his "leaping to join" the BJP.
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'It is not a sign of my leaping to join the Prime Minister's party (the BJP) as some people unfortunately have been implying,' Tharoor said when asked about the article during an event.
'It is a statement of national unity, of national interest and of standing up for India, which to my mind is fundamentally why I came back to India after 25 years of service at the UN. I did so to serve India, and I am very proud to have the opportunity to do so," Tharoor told news agency PTI.
In his article, Tharoor praised PM Narendra Modi's 'energy, dynamism and willingness to engage' as a key asset for India on the global stage, adding that it 'deserves greater backing.'
The Prime Minister's Office later shared the article on X, triggering speculation about Tharoor's growing distance from the Congress leadership.
The timing raised eyebrows, as the Congress has been sharply critical of the Modi government's foreign policy, accusing it of isolating India internationally.
'People always tend to see all this in the context of today's news,' Tharoor said after rumours began to gain ground.
'It is an article in which I describe the success of this outreach mission, which, amongst other things, showcased the unity of all parties behind the matter of vital national interest.'
He further said: 'So, I said the prime minister himself has demonstrated dynamism and energy in engaging with other countries. He has travelled to more countries than any prime minister, and done so in order to take the message of India around the world.'
Tharoor led a multi-party delegation to the United States and four other countries following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military operation, aiming to convey India's position to the international community.