'Will Rahul Gandhi get the message?': BJP's jibe at Tharoor's Trump-Mamdani meet remark

THe BJP grabbed onto Shashi Tharoor’s remarks on the ruff–Zohran Mamdani get together, turn his congratulations for the unusual show of civility into a pointed swipe at the Congress leadership.Tharoor had taken to social media to highlight how the US President and the newly elected New York City mayor, fierce critics of each other during the campaign, set aside their hostility to meet with respect.It was this moment of putting the election season behind and focusing on public service that Tharoor celebrated. And BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala quickly echoed the sentiment, using it to nudge the Congress.Also Read | Shashi Tharoor's message for Congress? On Trump-Mamdani meet, MP says 'this is how democracy should work'‘Will Rahul Gandhi get the message?’Poonawala said Tharoor’s “cryptic” post was effectively a reminder to his own party to place the nation above the Gandhi family."Once again Shashi Tharoor reminds Congress to put India First not Parivar To behave democratically and not like sore losers But will Rahul Gandhi get the message ? One more Fatwa loading against Shashi???," he said.What did Shashi Tharoor say?Tharoor, for his part, applauded Donald Trump’s meeting with Zohran Mamdani as a rare instance of democratic maturity despite their sharp campaign-trail clashes.His takeaway from Friday’s interaction was that once elections conclude, political rivals must know how to collaborate."This is how democracy should work. Fight passionately for your point of view in elections, with no rhetorical holds barred. But once it’s over, & the people have spoken, learn to cooperate with each other in the common interests of the nation you are both pledged to serve. I would love to see more of this in India, and am trying to do my part," Tharoor wrote on X on Saturday.What is the Congress-Tharoor rift?Tharoor has often drawn criticism from members of the Congress party for remarks seen as overly generous toward BJP leaders, including past praise for LK Advani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Just two days ago, he publicly appreciated Modi’s Ramnath Goenka lecture, prompting a sharp reaction from a Congress leader who questioned why Tharoor remained in the party if he believed the BJP’s methods were more effective.He also recently authored an article on dynastic politics and its impact on meritocracy, citing the Gandhi–Nehru family as an example, which drew immense criticism from the members of his party.Many emphasized on how dynastic politics was not exclusive to the Congress party.