New Delhi:
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will lead All party delegations abroadDespite the candidates not having their own shortlist to work in their party’s own shortlist. According to party leader Jeram Ramesh, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju requested the Congress on the morning of 16 May to suggest four names to be included in the delegation to be sent abroad to clarify the situation on terrorism arising from Pakistan.
The same day till noon, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul GandhiThe Congress responded with four names, and Mr. Tharoor was not one of them.
The list of Congress recommendations includes: Anand Sharma, a former cabinet minister, Gaurav Gogoi, the party’s Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, a Rajya Sabha MP, and Raja Brar, Loks MP.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs announced that four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Tharoor, would be the head of the All-party delegation. Other members named BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Bajayant Panda, Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, DMK Kanmozhi Karunanidhi, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule, and Shiv Senana (Shinda Sena (Shind Factian)
Yesterday morning, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju spoke to the Congress President and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Inc. was asked to submit the names of 4 MPs for the delegation to be sent abroad to explain India’s attitude on terrorism …
– jairam ramesh (@Jairam_ramesh) May 17, 2025
“Yesterday morning, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju spoke with the Congress President and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Inc. was asked to present the names of 4 MPs for the representatives sent abroad to tell about terrorism for Pakistan. Ink,” Mr. Ramesh wrote on X, mentioned Congress leaders in the list.
Diplomatic outreach
The seven-member delegation will begin on the 10-day diplomatic mission starting on May 23, such as Washington, London, Abu Dhabi, Pretoria and Tokyo will visit major capitals. Each team is expected to present India’s “zero tolerance” policy on terrorism and highlight recent developments under Operation Sindoor, the military operation launched on 22 April in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, with 26 dead.
Responding to the official announcement of the Center, Mr. Tharoor said that he was “honored” the invitation, saying that he would not be found wanted when he is involved in the national interest “.
Mr. Tharoor said in a statement, “I have been awarded the invitation of the Government of India for the five-party delegation for five major capitals, to present our country’s point of view on recent events. When national interests are involved, and required my services, I will not get it,” Mr. Tharur said in a statement.
For presenting our country’s approach to recent events, I have been awarded the invitation of the Government of India for leading a all-party delegation for five major capitals.
I will not get when national interests are involved, and require my services.
Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/qt9rurmlo55
– Shashi Tharoor (@Shashithoor) May 17, 2025
Shashi Tharoor vs Congress?
The selection of Mr. Tharoor comes at a politically sensitive time for the Congress. His recent public comments, supporting the government’s handling over India’s military reaction, have rarely praised the ruling party figures, but have created dissatisfaction within their party. Mr. Tharoor has said that the government worked with restraint and accuracy, targeting only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK during the attacks on 7 May, allegedly killed more than 100 terrorists.
These comments were over obstacles with the Congress Party’s formal line, which criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for lack of transparency on the ceasefire agreement and questioned the role of the United States. Recently in a press briefing, Mr. Ramesh removed the party from Tharoor’s comments, “This is his opinion. When Tharoor Saab speaks, it is not the party’s opinion.”
According to sources quoted in a Press Trust of India (PTI) report, senior party figures feel that Mr. Tharoor may have crossed the “Laxman Rekha” by continuously distracting from the official party line.
Mr. Tharoor’s relations with the Congress High Command have long been marked by the steps of friction. In 2014, he was released as a party spokesperson after writing favorable about Prime Minister Modi. In 2020, he was part of the so -called G -23, a group of senior Congress leaders who demanded organizational reforms. Many people of that group have gone out of the party. In 2022, Mr. Tharoor contested the Congress presidential election against Mallikrajun Kharge. Despite the support of Mr. Kharge from the Gandhi family, Mr. Tharoor won more than 1,000 representative votes.
