- Shashi Tharoor praised Trump and Mamdani's post-election cooperation
- Tharoor urged similar democratic cooperation in India after elections conclude
- BJP praised Tharoor's remarks, questioning if Rahul Gandhi will understand the message
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has praised US President Donald Trump's meeting with newly elected New York mayor Zohran Mamdani at the White House as upholding democratic spirit despite making fierce attacks against each other during the polls. Learn to cooperate once the election is over—that was his takeaway from the Friday meeting.
Tharoor, whose views have lately caused friction within his party, shared a video of the two American leaders and said he wants to see similar levels of cooperation in India.
"This is how democracy should work. Fight passionately for your point of view in elections, with no rhetorical holds barred. But once it's over, & the people have spoken, learn to cooperate with each other in the common interests of the nation you are both pledged to serve. I would love to see more of this in India - and am trying to do my part (sic)," the MP from Thiruvanthapuram wrote on his X handle.
In the video that he shared, a reporter is heard asking Mamdani if he still thinks of Trump as "fascist." Trump swooped in before Mamdani could answer, saying that he doesn't mind being called a fascist.
BJP Praises Tharoor
The BJP praised Tharoor's remarks with a dig at the Congress leadership. Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala claimed that through his "cryptic" post, the MP has reminded his party leaders to put the country first instead of the Gandhi family.
"Once again, Dr Tharoor has chosen to remind Congress that they should put national interests above family interests and should serve and behave democratically rather than behave like sore losers," said Poonawala in a video message.
He pointed out that the Congress cries foul after losing elections and that Tharoor has reminded them that rival parties must come together to serve the national cause after the elections are over. But will Rahul Gandhi get the message, he wondered, warning that the Congress might issue "another fatwa" against the diplomat-turned-politician.
"Perhaps this is a real cryptic message to Congress that it must get out of its emergency mindset and behave like a mature opposition. But will Rahul Gandhi get the message? No, he might in fact get another fatwa issued against Dr Tharoor," said Poonawala.
The Tharoor-Congress Friction
Tharoor has lately emerged as a conflicting voice in the Congress. In the past, he has faced criticism from his own party colleagues over praises for BJP veteran LK Advani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Two days ago, he praised PM Modi for his Ramnath Goenka lecture. This left a Congress leader fuming, who asked why he was in the party if he felt that the BJP's strategies work better.
Recently, he also wrote an article on dynastic politics hindering meritocracy, listing the Gandhi-Nehru family as an example, while not providing any BJP reference. Dynaisticism has been among the BJP's major charges against the Congress.
