Shashi Tharoor's comments row: Congress in a bind on how to deal with Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Congress has sought to distance itself from spokesperson Shashi Tharoor’s perceived appreciation of PM Narendra Modi. Tharoor had said on Wednesday that Modi seemed conciliatory and inclusive in both his pronouncements and actions.

"The views expressed by Tharoor about Modi are his personal views. As a party, it is too early for us to express these views. It is too early to comment on the functioning of the government," party spokesperson Shobha Oza told reporters. Later, appearing in a TV debate Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar termed Tharoor’s comments "immature" and "chameleon like".

On his part, Tharoor told the same news channel that he cannot be called a fan of Modi. "No, afraid you can’t. I have been intrigued by the fact that the paraphrases of my piece I have seen in the Indian media looks like people don’t actually read every word and every nuance," he said when asked if he could be called a ‘Modi fan’ now after his recent blog in a website.

The distance that Congress sought to place between itself and its spokesperson is, however, reflective of Congress’ inability to evolve a response to PM Narendra Modi’s efforts to extend a hand of friendship to political rivals and critics. "The party hasn’t made the adjustment in its approach, from the one they had for Modi who was the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate to PM Narendra Modi," a senior party leader said.

Sources indicated that there are broadly two points of view within the party. A section believes attacking Prime Minister Modi and the BJP at every instance is unbecoming especially given BJP’s huge electoral mandate.

This section suggests that instead of a policy of indiscriminate attack, Congress should reserve such response for instances when the PM and BJP goes wrong or fails to keep its word. While another section in Congress is of the view that no opportunity should be missed in attacking the BJP government.

Tharoor had in his blog in Huffington Post said on Tuesday, "It would be churlish not to acknowledge Modi 2.0’s inclusive outreach and to welcome his more conciliatory statements and actions."

However the blog made it clear that the moment Modi says or does "something divisive or sectarian in the Modi 1.0 mould," Congress would respond swiftly.