Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. File
| Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran
The Congress needs to reclaim the votes it lost in the last three Lok Sabha elections through “constructive criticism and not unrelenting negativity”, Lok Sabha MP and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Shashi Tharoor said on Wednesday (April 9, 2025).
“In 2024, we had both good news and bad news. Our strength in the Lok Sabha [increased], but we had setbacks in State elections afterwards. This All India Congress Committee (AICC) session should mark a turning point,” Mr. Tharoor said, seconding the main AICC resolution.
“As I said at the CWC yesterday, the Congress must be the party of hope, not of resentment; the party of the future, not just the past; the party with the positive narrative and not just negative criticism,” he added.
‘Focus on the future’
Recalling the Congress’s glorious past in Gujarat, the the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, Mr. Tharoor said, “We have an illustrious history. But we must recognise that the young who are the majority of the electorate are more concerned with what we can do for them today and what kind of tomorrow we can provide for them. Our resolution will be judged by that.”
Holding the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati in Gujarat, where the Congress has been out of power for the last three decades signals that the party is on the “brink of a new revival”, Mr. Tharoor claimed.
Inclusive nationalism
The AICC resolution showcases the Congress’s nationalism upfront, “rather than ceding it to the other side”, said the Lok Sabha MP. “But our nationalism is anchored in the well-being of all Indians. Social justice is a major theme in the resolution. As our Constitution makes clear, our nation includes people of diverse religions, languages, regions, and castes,” he said.
Stressing the party’s inclusive agenda, Mr. Tharoor said: “The idea of India is that you can be a good Gujarati, a good Muslim, and a good Indian all at once.”
Published – April 09, 2025 07:11 pm IST