‘Congress exposes Congress’: BJP on Shashi Tharoor-Chidambaram exchange

For the second time, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari claimed that the Congress party was "exposing Congress" over its stance on the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi. BJP's response came a day after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised the summit, stating that hosting it would showcase India's diplomatic influence and prestige on the global stage.

Tharoor argued that the summit would bring together 11 key players from the Global South, representing a majority of the world's population and 41% of global GDP. The Congress leader emphasized that India's participation in the Global South grouping demonstrated its diplomatic clout.

Former Union Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram responded by questioning the tangible benefits that BRICS summits have brought to India. He noted that India participates in several other international groupings, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, G20, and Quad, and asked what each of these organizations has achieved for India's economy and national security.

Tharoor countered Chidambaram's concerns by highlighting the presence of major world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian. He praised India's role in the Global South, emphasizing the platform it provides for diverse views and perspectives from the developing world.

Despite the disagreement, Tharoor maintained that his comments were not a reflection of his unhappiness with the Congress party or his desire to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ongoing tension between Tharoor and the Congress party dates back to April 2025 when the government invited Tharoor to attend delegations to friendly and partner nations following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.