Shashi Tharoor Acknowledges Differences with Congress Leadership, Says He Wasn’t Invited to Nilambur Bypoll Campaign

Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday acknowledged that he has certain differences of opinion with sections of the Congress leadership, even as he reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to the party and its values.

Speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor said, “I have been with the Congress for the past 16 years. I hold the party, its principles, and its workers in deep regard. While I do have some disagreements with parts of the leadership, I will address those within the party forum.”

Tharoor’s remarks come weeks after a fellow Congress member controversially dubbed him the BJP’s “super spokesperson,” following his vocal defense of the Indian government’s stand during his diplomatic tour for Operation Sindoor. Tharoor had led official visits to the US, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia, where he represented India during key engagements related to the rescue mission.

Pressed about his absence from the ongoing Nilambur bypoll campaign, Tharoor made it clear that he had not been invited to participate, just as he hadn’t been asked to join the campaign during previous byelections, including last year’s high-profile contest in Wayanad. “I do not go where I am not invited,” he stated pointedly. Nonetheless, he extended his support to the Congress-led UDF and expressed hope for the alliance’s victory in Nilambur.

When asked about his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after returning from his multi-nation tour, Tharoor clarified that their conversation was strictly focused on Operation Sindoor and international matters concerning the mission. “There was no discussion on domestic politics,” he added.

Tharoor declined to comment further on his internal disagreements or future political plans, saying only, “There is a time and place for everything. When the time comes, I will raise what I have to say within the party.”