Congress vs Congress: Is This the End of the Road for Shashi Tharoor? Old Guard vs ‘Jai Jagat’ Group
Congress battles inner conflict after Bihar loss; Kidwai tells Barkha Dutt the party avoids hard questions as leadership rifts and confusion grow.
Senior journalist and author Rasheed Kidwai, known for his deep understanding of Congress politics, spoke with Ms. Barkha Dutt about the party’s growing internal troubles after its heavy defeat in Bihar. Kidwai explained that instead of introspection, the Congress leadership is focused on selecting candidates for upcoming Rajya Sabha seats, with a new group—often called the “Jai Jagat Circle”—slowly gaining influence inside the party.
At the same time, Shashi Tharoor’s recent praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created discomfort within the party. His absence from key internal meetings and his warm response to the PM’s speech have led many to question whether he is nearing a breaking point with the Congress.
Kidwai noted that while some believe the party is close to a split, a real division is unlikely because it lacks the numbers, structure, and resources needed for such a move. He also discussed the growing distance between Rahul Gandhi and several regional leaders, the lack of hard work at the ground level, and the party’s ideological confusion. According to him, the Congress is shifting from its old Nehruvian style to a new internally driven ideological group.
Ms. Barkha Dutt concluded by highlighting the party’s deeper problem: Congress leaders want to survive but do not show the hunger to fight politically, creating a culture where members seem “happy to be unhappy.”
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