Rahul throws a tantrum over inclusion of Tharoor, Manish Tewari in outreach teams

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is reportedly displeased with the Centre for not selecting individuals of his choosing from within his party for the bipartisan global outreach teams being put together by the Modi government. These teams are set to travel to various parts of the world as part of a diplomatic campaign aimed at strengthening India’s international ties and bolstering its case against terrorism in the wake of the recent conflict with Pakistan.

Sources state that Gandhi called up Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to express his dissatisfaction—reportedly in strong terms by throwing a tantrum—over the exclusion of his nominees from the seven outreach teams that comprise mostly members of Parliament. In response, Rijiju is said to have firmly conveyed to the Congress leader that the members selected were chosen on the basis of their individual credentials, not due to partisan recommendations.

Gandhi’s frustration appears especially directed at the inclusion of certain Congress members he did not endorse, and the omission of those he had recommended. The list submitted by the Congress reportedly featured names such as Anand Sharma, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Gaurav Gogoi. Notably, it excluded Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, both of whom have deep ties within diplomatic and strategic circles and are widely respected for their expertise. While Tharoor represents Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha, Tewari, a noted lawyer, is a MP from Chandigarh. Former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid is also among those selected for the outreach teams.

Gandhi Jr was particularly opposed to Tharoor’s inclusion and is said to have conveyed his displeasure directly to Rijiju. Tharoor, a former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and a candidate for Secretary-General in 2006, enjoys extensive connections in the United States and around the world. Tewari, too, was reportedly considered unacceptable to Gandhi, largely because of the strong positions both leaders have taken on Operation Sindoor and their vocal support for the Modi government’s response to the Pahalgam massacre in which 26 non-Muslim male civilians were targeted and killed by terrorists.

One of the key figures selected to lead these outreach efforts is Tharoor, who will head the delegation visiting the United States and several Latin American countries to engage with diplomats, political leaders, and academics. Tharoor has publicly stated that he supports the Centre’s stance on terrorism out of a sense of patriotic duty, asserting that this is a time for all Indians to stand united in defence of the nation’s territorial integrity and security interests.

Others chosen to lead teams in this initiative include Sanjay Jha, who will travel to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia; Ravi Shankar Prasad, who will head a delegation to the Middle East; DMK leader Kanimozhi; NCP’s Supriya Sule; Shrikant Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena; and Baijayant “Jay” Panda of the BJP.

The Centre is expected to announce the teams, which comprise mostly MPs besides former career diplomats and bureaucrats, by Saturday evening.

Interestingly, notwithstanding Rahul Gandhi’s objections, most opposition parties remain broadly aligned with the government’s initiative.

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