BJP hails Tharoor backing India’s Russia-Ukraine stand

New Delhi:The BJP seems to be warming up to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor with each passing day as the saffron party hailed Tharoor’s stand on India’s position on Russia-Ukraine conflict. While the Congress maintained a stoic silence, BJP MP Sambit Patra said that the Congress leaders including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi should “appreciate” Tharoor’s stand. “Shashi Tharoor understands diplomacy...Congress should also learn from him,” Patra said.

It may be recalled that on Tuesday Tharoor said that he was left “with an egg on my face” in opposing India’s stance when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. He said that following the policy adopted by India, the country was now in a position where it can make a difference for lasting peace. Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his diplomatic strategies for the second time within a month, Tharoor, speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, admitted he was wrong in opposing India’s stand on the Ukraine war.

“I am still wiping the egg off my face because I am one person in the parliamentary debate who actually criticised the Indian position in February 2022... the policy has meant that India actually has a Prime Minister who can hug both the President of Ukraine and the President in Moscow two weeks apart and be accepted in both places,” Tharoor stressed.

BJP Kerala state unit chief K. Surendran also appreciated Tharoor’s remarks. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said that “knives would be out in Congress” after Tharoor’s remarks and the remarks were likely to leave Rahul Gandhi “red faced”.

“This will likely leave Rahul Gandhi red-faced, with the Congress media department scrambling to clarify that Shashi Tharoor’s remarks reflect his personal views - not the party’s official stance - despite Tharoor having led the party’s charge on the issue in Parliament,” Malviya tweeted.