Thu Nov 20 02:29:35 UTC 2025: Congress Infighting Erupts Over Tharoor’s Praise of Modi’s Lecture
New Delhi, India – Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is facing renewed criticism from within his own party after publicly praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Ramnath Goenka Lecture. The praise has ignited a fresh round of internal debate, with some Congress leaders questioning Tharoor’s loyalty to the party.
Sandeep Dikshit, a senior Congress leader, openly challenged Tharoor’s position, suggesting he should consider joining the BJP if he believes their strategies are superior. “If you really feel that the BJP or PM Modi’s strategies are working better than the party you are in, then you should give an explanation. If you cannot give one, you are a hypocrite,” Dikshit stated.
Tharoor, who attended the lecture at the invitation of The Indian Express, described Modi’s address as “both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action.” He commended the Prime Minister’s emphasis on development and a post-colonial mindset.
This isn’t the first time Tharoor’s complimentary remarks about Modi or the central government have drawn scrutiny. Fellow Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also questioned Tharoor’s assessment, stating she “didn’t find anything in the speech worth appreciating” and criticizing Modi for allegedly using the platform to attack the Congress party.
In his Ramnath Goenka Lecture, Modi spoke about the importance of development-focused governance and criticized the Congress, accusing them of harboring elements sympathetic to Naxalism and Maoist terrorism. The Prime Minister also defended his government’s continuous focus on development, rejecting accusations of being perpetually in election mode.
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