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V Hanumantha Rao clarified Congress does not share Shashi Tharoor’s view equating PM’s defeat with India’s defeat.
Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao on Saturday rejected Tharoor’s statement. (File)
Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao on Saturday distanced the party from Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor’s reported remark that celebrating the Prime Minister’s defeat is akin to celebrating India’s defeat, saying the Congress does not share that view.
The former Rajya Sabha MP said that Tharoor’s remarks reflected his personal stance and not the party’s stand, adding that the Congress’s democratic structure allows leaders to express differing views.
” …We have democracy here, so everyone expresses their views. If another party made such statements, there would be swift action, but we have democracy here. This may be his thinking, but the party does not think that way…” he said as quoted be news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi | On Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s reported statement that rejoicing at PM’s defeat is akin to celebrating India’s defeat, Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao says, ” …We have democracy here, so everyone expresses their views. If another party made such statements,… pic.twitter.com/qIbON4RUsc— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2025
Rao’s comment came after Tharoor reportedly remarked that celebrating the Prime Minister’s defeat is akin to celebrating India’s defeat. Meanwhile, these remarks triggered political reactions, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcoming his statement. Earlier today, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla praised Tharoor, describing his comments as courageous, and expressed hope that the Congress would not take disciplinary action against him.
“Once again, Shashi Tharoor has shown the courage to show the mirror to Rahul Gandhi for all the propaganda he spreads against India. Dr Tharoor has rightly said that foreign policy doesn’t belong to one party; it belongs to the nation…. I hope that they do not take some action against Tharoor. They may issue a fatwa against him because they cannot tolerate national interest above family interest,” Poonawalla said in a post on X.
He also accused Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of putting “family interests above national interest” and said that he hates India.
“This is a clear-cut message to Rahul Gandhi about his propaganda on Operation Sindoor, the surrender narrative to Prithviraj Chavan, and the entire Congress ecosystem… But Rahul Gandhi keeps family interest above party interest and the nation’s interest because, in his hatred for the BJP, he hates India. He goes and spews venom against India…,” he told the news agency.
Meanwhile, despite his on-and-off relationship with the party, Shashi Tharoor attended the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Headquarters at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi.
Recently, Tharoor has made headlines for skipping Congress meetings and praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the Ramnath Goenka Lecture.
He had skipped Congress’s ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi due to his engagement abroad. Tharoor also missed the meeting of Congress Lok Sabha MPs chaired by Rahul Gandhi.
Tharoor recently led a multi-party delegation to relevant world capitals to highlight India’s stand against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism following Operation Sindoor.
He had emerged as one of the most articulate voices to present India’s position during Operation Sindoor as well as its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan at the global stage following the Pahalgam attack
The senior Congress leader has often publicly backed PM Modi at several occasions. Earlier in June this year, Tharoor, in an article, remarked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remain a “prime asset” for India on the global stage but deserve greater backing.
(With inputs from agencies)
December 27, 2025, 17:51 IST
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