BJP's victory in Thiruvananthapuram: Have some things to say within party, says Shashi Tharoor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said that he has a lot to say within the Congress party regarding the BJP’s victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. He stated that he had given warnings earlier and had pointed out weaknesses in the Congress’s functioning even while contesting the 2024 elections.

“The people were deeply unhappy with the government and wanted a change. The public was fed up with the government, and that is why they ended up voting for the BJP,” Tharoor said.

Tharoor also responded to remarks made by CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan, who had described him as a BJP supporter. Tharoor said he has heard such allegations many times and added that his writings should be read in full before drawing conclusions.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla came out praising an article written by Shashi Tharoor criticising dynastic politics in India. Poonawalla, who is also a former Congress leader, warned that Tharoor may face attacks for writing such an article. He said Tharoor was “playing with fire” and added that he was praying for him. Poonawalla also remarked that the “first family” mentioned in Tharoor’s article is highly vindictive.

The controversy arose from Tharoor’s article titled 'Indian Politics Is a Family Business.' In the article, Tharoor discussed political parties in India that are led by families, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, Trinamool Congress, and National Conference.

In the article, Tharoor wrote that dynastic politics poses a serious threat to Indian democracy. He stated that when political power is decided based on lineage rather than ability, commitment, and grassroots involvement, the quality of governance inevitably declines.