'Thoughtful Analysis': Shashi Tharoor Reacts To Viral Thread Comparing Him With Rahul Gandhi

Last Updated:December 15, 2025, 13:07 IST

The analysis argues that Congress’s failure to coherently integrate or execute either approach has left the party’s identity primarily oppositional, rather than aspirational

Tharoor’s choice to share the post is likely to draw attention within the party, given that many insiders have noted his independent streak often clashes with the official line. (PTI)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is in the news once again—this time for sharing a detailed X [formerly Twitter] thread analysing the ideological divisions within the Congress. The thread, originally authored by political analyst Sameer, contrasts the political approaches of Tharoor and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, highlighting structural challenges facing the party.

The thread frames Tharoor as representative of a 90s-era urban, technocratic Congress, focused on policy, institutions, and administrative competence. Figures like PV Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh, and SM Krishna are cited as examples of this governance-oriented tradition.

“Tharoor shows alignment between background, political language, and audience. His increasing focus on social media platforms reflects awareness of political fit, not ideological drift," the thread notes.

It adds: “It is these very same urban technocratic leaders that the Congress repeatedly sidelines, again and again. All of these aforementioned leaders gained more recognition and respect from the RW (i.e., the right wing) than the party… in today’s Congress era."

Many users construed this as a nod to high-profile former Congress leaders such as Jyotiraditya Scindia, who switched to BJP in 2020 and, in the process, toppled the previous Congress government in Madhya Pradesh. Scindia served as the Union aviation minister for three years after joining the BJP and, in June last year, he was made the Union communications minister.

The Grand Old Party has often been criticised for sidelining the young turks to keep the old guard happy, a move that many feel has led to the undoing of the party’s fortunes.

Contrasting Tharoor with Gandhi, the user described the latter as leading a post-2010 rural, grievance-focused turn, attempting to reposition Congress as a mass party capable of countering the BJP in the countryside. The thread criticises this approach as reactive and lacking organisational depth.

“Rural politics in India is not rhetorical. It is organisational, cultural, and long-term. BJP succeeds here because of cadre depth, discipline, and cultural alignment through the RSS. Congress has none of this infrastructure, and yet wants to behave like a poor man’s messiah."

The analysis argues that Congress’s failure to coherently integrate or execute either approach has left the party’s identity primarily oppositional, rather than aspirational. Calling Gandhi “the most elite and insulated figures in Indian politics", the analyst says: “Born into a dynastic family, symbolic rural politics without lived or organisational depth lacks any credibility."

Pointing out that Tharoor demonstrates a strong alignment between his personal background, political language, and target audience, Sameer says his focus on social media platforms, especially Instagram, reflects a political fit rather than any ideological drift. Tharoor has not undergone a “rightward shift," the post says, highlighting his longstanding pride in his Hindu identity, including his book ‘Why I Am A Hindu’.

The analysis goes on to say that Congress today is “neither a credible urban reformist party nor a serious rural mass party," having abandoned one approach without successfully transforming. “As a result, its identity is now primarily oppositional, not aspirational. For a national party, this is fatal. Opposition without a governing philosophy is political decay. The identity of the INC today has become ‘opposition’."

The post drew a reaction from Tharoor who said: “Thank you for this thoughtful analysis. There has always been more than one tendency in the party; your framing is fair, and reflective of a certain perception of the current reality."

Tharoor’s choice to share the post is likely to draw attention within the party, given that many insiders have noted his independent streak often clashes with the official line. Adding to the potential intra-party tension, Tharoor has recently been noted for publicly acknowledging certain policies of the BJP government, including administrative reforms and economic initiatives. While he frames such comments as a non-partisan recognition of effective governance, critics within Congress see it as breaking ranks and giving fodder to political rivals.

The latest Kerala local body polls have added fuel to fire as all areas where Tharoor campaigned in Thiruvananthapuram were won by the BJP. While a few in the Congress suspect him, the party doesn’t want to expel him as it would send the wrong signal and add to the sympathy for the leader.

News politics 'Thoughtful Analysis': Shashi Tharoor Reacts To Viral Thread Comparing Him With Rahul Gandhi

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