Shashi Tharoor's Dilemma: Caught between Congress and BJP

Shashi Tharoor, a high-profile Indian MP and former UN diplomat, finds himself in a precarious position, straddling the fine line between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress Party. While neither party seems ready to fully accept or reject him, Tharoor continues to travel the world, making lofty pronouncements on India's national interests and charming the audience with his linguistic skills. However, this delicate dance may come to an end soon, as Tharoor will eventually have to make a choice between the two parties.

Key Takeaways:

• Tharoor's entire appeal lies in his seemingly defiant equidistance from both the main parties, making his appeal based on this ambiguity.
• He is caught in an avoidance-avoidance conflict, where he grapples with the direction of his political future.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to be indulging Tharoor with attention, while Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi treats him with apathy.
• Tharoor has become a centrist liberal, with a natural habitat in the Congress Party, where he still has scope to mend fences and be valued as an important voice.
• Joining the BJP would mean being co-opted by the party's machine, compromising his individualism.
• Tharoor is in no position to form his own party, and his staying above the fray is impossible without taking a partisan stance.

Statistics:

• Tharoor has written 25 books on various subjects.
• He has served as a junior foreign minister in the Manmohan Singh government.
• Tharoor has been a four-time Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Sources:

• The author is a Chicago-based journalist, author, and commentator.
• Views are personal, and he can be reached via email at mcsix@outlook.com