Kharge Criticises Tharoor Over Modi Remarks, Says “Nation First, Not Modi First”

New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge publicly criticised party colleague and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor for allegedly praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent article. Speaking at a media briefing at the Congress headquarters, Kharge took a veiled dig at Tharoor, highlighting internal disagreements within the party.

“The country comes first for us; for some, it’s Modi first, nation second,” Kharge said, referring to Tharoor’s article published in The Hindu, where the senior MP praised PM Modi’s global outreach and described his energy and dynamism as a “prime asset” for India.

Responding to questions about the article, Kharge remarked, “I can’t read English, but his language is very good. That’s why we made him a member of the party’s working committee. But what I want to say is that all of us — the entire opposition — have come together and said we stand with our Army. For us, the nation comes first.”

This is the first time Kharge has directly criticised Tharoor in such a public forum, revealing tensions within the party ranks. Tharoor, who recently led an all-party delegation to promote India’s position on Operation Sindoor, has often expressed views that diverge from the Congress leadership. His recent praise for the Prime Minister has sparked internal friction and reopened debates about party discipline and messaging.

The article in question, published earlier this week, highlighted India’s diplomatic success in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and commended PM Modi’s international presence. However, Tharoor also suggested that such efforts needed more strategic backing and consistent policy support.

Kharge also used the press conference to attack the BJP, accusing it of misusing the 50th anniversary of the Emergency to “divert attention from their failures” and “undermine the Indian Constitution.” He criticised the ruling party’s series of nationwide events marking the Emergency anniversary, calling it an attempt to politicise a historical period for current gains.