Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Monday played down Rahul Gandhi's comment on regional parties "lacking ideology", which has upset some regional allies at a time the party is planning to focus on alliances ahead of the 2024 national elections. Congress's Jharkhand ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Bihar ally Rashtriya Janata Dal have questioned the remark. Estranged ally HD Kumaraswamy, chief of the Janata Dal Secular, has made jibes at Mr Gandhi.
In his address on the concluding day at the three-day Congress "Chintan Shivir" in Rajasthan's Udaipur, Mr Gandhi had said: "The BJP will talk about Congress, will talk about Congress leaders, will talk about Congress workers, but will not talk about regional parties, because they know, that regional parties have their place, but they cannot defeat BJP. Because they don't have an ideology."
"I think what he (Rahul Gandhi) meant -- at least we all understood by what he meant -- was that we have a national vision. We speak for and think of the country as a whole. Whereas regional parties by its very character and nature is usually confined to one particular region or interest group," Mr Tharoor told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
Then he elucidated: "I think, for example, much of the ideology of Trinamool, the RJD, the Samajwadi Party or even for the most part the DMK, will be congruent to and compatible with what the Congress stands for".
The Rashtriya Janata Dal took a swipe at Mr Gandhi, calling his claims "bizarre". "I find it a little bizarre and out of sync," said RJD's Manoj Jha.
The Congress should settle to be "co-travellers" and let them (the regional parties) be in the "driving seat" in over 320 of the 543 parliamentary constituencies, Mr Jha added, inverting the formula given by election strategist Prashant Kishor for the rejuvenation of the grand old party.
Questioning "How are we running the party without any ideology," the JMM pointed out that it is the Congress that is dependent on regional parties for survival in the states.
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy derided the Congress, saying the party has developed a "phobia" of regional parties. Rahul Gandhi, he said, should remember that the Congress ruled at the Centre for 10 years only with the help of regional parties.
The Congress's ally in Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin's DMK is yet to comment on the issue.
Doctors Demand Rahul Gandhi's Apology Over "Memory Loss" Remark On Biden Rahul Gandhi Shares Photo With Indira Gandhi On Her Birth Anniversary "Should Delhi Even Remain Indian Capital": Shashi Tharoor On Air Crisis "Moving Towards One Party, One Nation": Uddhav Thackeray On BJP Victory 3 Dead, Over 30 Cops Injured: Violence In UP's Sambhal Over Mosque Survey After Mega Maharashtra Victory, NDA's Oath Ceremony Likely Tomorrow RRB Loco Pilot Admit Card 2024 For November 28 Exam To Be Released Soon Australian Disney Star Removes Snake From Plane, Wins Over Passengers Horse Head, Body Of Pregnant Cow: Sicilian Mafia Recreates Godfather Scene Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.