Rahul Gandhi Has Renewed Enthusiasm Among Young Voters, Says Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said Rahul Gandhi had generated renewed enthusiasm among people, particularly young voters, over the past few months, urging the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to take note of growing public disenchantment.

Speaking at the NDTV World Summit, Tharoor argued that the BJP had already begun responding to this trend and suggested that its criticism of Rahul Gandhi reflected its concern over his growing political appeal.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP’s remarks came amid a political exchange following the BJP’s recent description of Rahul Gandhi as a “failed product”.

Tharoor responds to Modi’s remarks

A day earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken a swipe at the Congress leadership during his address at the summit, without naming Rahul Gandhi directly.

“I don't know how long the Congress will continue to put the country at stake for the launch of its failed product,” Modi said, drawing a comparison between the repeated attempts to promote a Congress leader and rocket launches from Sriharikota.

Tharoor also challenged the Prime Minister’s suggestion that the Gandhi family name had become a liability for the Congress, arguing that the party allowed considerable internal debate and differing opinions.

He cited his own experience of expressing views that sometimes diverged from the party’s position while continuing to serve as a Congress MP.

Tharoor pointed to his parliamentary responsibilities, including chairing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, as evidence that he remained an active part of the organisation.

Congress ready to challenge BJP, says Tharoor

Tharoor asserted that the Congress was prepared to take on the government politically, provided the contest took place on a level playing field.

Rahul Gandhi has been leading the Opposition’s campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls. Gandhi has claimed that the irregularities were being carried out at the BJP’s behest.

The allegations have become part of the wider political confrontation between the Congress and the ruling party over the integrity of electoral processes.

Tharoor’s comments placed renewed attention on the Congress leadership’s political strategy and its efforts to mobilise voters, particularly younger sections of the electorate.

Tharoor flags uncertainty in global order

Beyond domestic politics, Tharoor discussed the changing international landscape, describing the current period as one of profound uncertainty as established global institutions struggle to keep pace with emerging geopolitical realities.

He argued that longstanding geopolitical assumptions were weakening, US dominance was facing increasing challenges and the international order was undergoing a transformation whose eventual shape remained uncertain.

His remarks at the summit covered both the domestic political contest and the broader shifts affecting global power structures.