Congress' Shashi Tharoor Was Asked Who Is PM Modi's Alternative. His Reply

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said the question of who could be an alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "irrelevant" in the parliamentary system because we do not elect an individual, but a party or coalition of parties.

Taking to X this morning, Mr Tharoor said a journalist had asked him this question. "Yet again a journalist has asked me to identify an individual who is the alternative to Mr Modi. The question is irrelevant in the Parliamentary system. We are not electing an individual (as in a presidential system), but a party, or coalition of parties, that represents a set of principles and convictions that are invaluable to preserve India's diversity, pluralism and inclusive growth," he wrote.

"The alternative to Mr Modi is a group of experienced, capable and diverse Indian leaders who will be responsive to people's problems and not driven by individual ego," the Congress leader added.

The Prime Minister choice, he said, was a "secondary consideration. "Which specific person they will choose to be Prime Minister is a secondary consideration. Protecting our democracy and diversity comes first," Mr Tharoor said.

A three-time MP from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, Mr Tharoor is now gearing up for his fourth Lok Sabha contest from the same seat. He is up against BJP leader and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Left front candidate Pannyan Ravindran.

Over the past couple of weeks, Mr Tharoor has campaigning in his constituency for the upcoming election. Thiruvananthapuram votes in the second phase of Lok Sabha polls, on April 26.