For some, it is Modi first and nation second: Kharge's jibe at Shashi Tharoor

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (June 25) took a veiled dig at party MP Shashi Tharoor, saying that for the party, the nation comes first, but for some, Modi comes first and the nation comes second.

“For us, the nation comes first, but for some, it is ‘Modi first and nation second'. What can we do about such things?” he said at a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, according to media reports.

Also Read: Kerala Congress denies Tharoor's claim on Nilambur bypoll campaign

Action against Tharoor?

Responding to a question on whether Congress will take any action against Tharoor, the Congress president indicated that the party would not take any action against the MP, saying that people can write what they want and Congress does not want to “get involved” in that.

Kharge sarcastically said that he does not know how to read English, but “he (Tharoor) has very good command of the English language” and was hence made a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member.

Also Read: Tharoor praises PM Modi again despite Congress' censure

'His personal opinion'

He also said that there are 34 CWC members and 30 special invitees, adding that each has their views. Without mentioning Tharoor, Kharge said that “what he is saying is his personal opinion”, adding that Congress was focused on the nation and if someone has other priorities, then such questions should be raised to that person.

As for Operation Sindoor, Kharge said that the entire Opposition stood by the Indian military.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor: PM meets multi-party delegation, says 'country is proud'

Fallout with Congress

Tharoor’s frosty ties with Congress came to the surface after the Centre selected him as part of the MP’s delegation regarding Operation Sindoor, even though the grand old party had not suggested his name. Tharoor’s praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an article in a national English daily irked the Congress leadership further for not towing the party line.

However, at a recent event in Moscow, Tharoor has said that his article was not an indication of his “leaping to join” the BJP but was a statement on national unity and interest, reported NDTV.