Will not join BJP: Shashi Tharoor MP with podcast and response putting an end to all speculations and controversies

NEW DELHI: Shashi Tharoor MP has made it clear in the controversial podcast interview that he believes that the people want him and that if the party does not understand that, he has other options. Tharoor indicated that power cannot be regained in Kerala by pinning hopes on traditional votes.

"I feel that I have a place in the minds of the people of Kerala. If the party wants to utilize it, I will continue there. If the party does not want it, I will go my own way. I have other avenues, including writing, reading and speaking. Although I have invitations from all over the world, I cannot participate in many because of politics and parliament. After leaving the United Nations, I lived comfortably in the United States with a good income. I came back from the UN to serve this country."

"The party did not need me much in the first election. It was the opposite in the last election. Let's see what the party wants in 2026. There is no plan to go to the BJP. Since I am a person in Congress who follows an independent mindset, I want to speak beyond politics. There will be criticism and opposition to that. I contested for the post of president to show that there is internal democracy in the party."

"No position has been taken regarding the Kerala elections. The needs of the party and the people need to be considered. In Thiruvananthapuram, the party has received votes beyond expectations. People like my speech and behaviour. Even those who do not like the Congress party have voted. I would not have won otherwise.

Congress cannot win at the national level and in Kerala with traditional votes alone. It must seek the votes of those who have not supported it for 10 years. If Congress relies only on traditional votes, it will remain in the opposition in Kerala. Some parties in the front also agree on this.

Outdated Communist

The communists have an outdated ideology that opposes new things. They will oppose them for 10-15 years, then accept them. When computers came, they destroyed it. They said that mobile phones were capitalist toys and should not be used. Today, computers can be seen in communist offices. They opposed private universities once and now say that they are good for Kerala. I am sure that in the future they will advocate for the foreign universities that they are opposing now.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Tharoor said, “You all heard the podcast, what was the controversy about?… I still haven’t understood the controversy…now that you have heard the whole podcast, can you tell me what your question is, I am happy to respond…it is a podcast, a 45-minute conversation about life and pursuits of Happiness, nothing there much about any political controversy… a meeting of the party has been called on Friday, I will be there with everyone else”.