Why are you in Congress if you think BJPs strategies are better: Party lashes out at Tharoor after praise for PM

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has once again stirred controversy within the Congress by lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent Ramnath Goenka Lecture . His remarks, posted on X on Tuesday, drew sharp reactions from party leaders, who questioned why Tharoor remains in Congress if he finds the PMs ideas commendable. In his post, Tharoor highlighted that Modis address was both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action, urging the nation to be restless for progress. Tharoor wrote that the PM emphasized India as not just an emerging market but an emerging model for the world, noting the countrys economic resilience. He added that Modi addressed the legacy of Macaulays slave mentality and called for a decade-long mission to restore pride in Indias heritage, languages, and knowledge systems. Tharoor also remarked that he was glad to have been in the audience despite battling a bad cold and cough. Attended PM @narendramodi s #RamnathGoenkaLecture at the invitation of @IndianExpress last night. He spoke of India's constructive impatience for development and strongly pushed for a post-colonial mindset. The PM emphasized that India is no longer just an 'emerging market' pic.twitter.com/97HwGgQ67N Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 18, 2025 The Congress swiftly reacted. Leader Sandeep Dikshit questioned Tharoors allegiance to the party, stating, If, according to you, someone is doing good for the country by going against the Congresss policies, then you should follow those policies Why are you in Congress? Is it only because you are an MP? If you really feel that BJP or PM Modi's strategies are working better than the party you are in, then you should give an explanation. If you are not giving one, you are a hypocrite. Another Congress leader, Supriya Shrinate, said she did not find anything praiseworthy in Modis lecture, unlike Tharoor, who expressed appreciation despite his illness. This episode follows an earlier post by Tharoor defending BJP veteran LK Advani over criticisms related to the 1990s Rath Yatra, which also drew criticism from the Congress and prompted the party to distance itself from him. Tharoor, long known for his independent stances, appears to be once again at odds with his partys official positions, raising questions about internal coherence and loyalty.