Shashi Tharoor praises Trump–Mamdani meeting as model democratic conduct, even as his comments continue to stir dissent within Congress. Photo: ANI.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday weighed in on the meeting between United States President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, noting that their interaction reflected how democratic politics should function.
Although Trump and Mamdani had exchanged sharp criticism during New York’s mayoral campaign, their Friday meeting at the White House was marked by warmth. Responding to a clip from the interaction, Tharoor said “this is how democracy should work” and added that he would “love to see more of this in India.”
“Fight passionately for your point of view in elections, with no rhetorical holds barred. But once it’s over, & the people have spoken, learn to cooperate with each other in the common interests of the nation you are both pledged to serve,” Tharoor wrote, noting that he was attempting to achieve a similar dynamic in India.
Following their talks, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the meeting had been “very productive,” expressing hope that New York would “hopefully have a great mayor.”
He went on to praise Mamdani, saying he was “confident” the Democrat would do a “good job” and might “surprise some Conservative people.”
Also Read: ‘Productive’: What Donald Trump, Zoharan Mamdani Said After Meeting At White House
When a reporter asked Mamdani if he would reaffirm his earlier comment describing Trump as a “fascist,” the President interjected with a quip, telling him he could respond in the affirmative.
“That’s okay, you can say it. It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind,” Trump remarked.
Tharoor’s latest comments come amid a series of instances where his statements have caused discomfort within the Congress party. Most recently, his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked internal criticism.
In a post on X, Tharoor described Modi’s Ramnath Goenka Lecture as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action. He wrote that he was “glad” to attend the event “despite battling a bad cold and cough.”
His remarks drew sharp reactions from party colleagues. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit labelled him a “hypocrite,” while Supriya Shrinate said she found nothing “praiseworthy” in the Prime Minister’s address.
Earlier, Tharoor had also stirred unease within the party through his article for Project Syndicate, titled ‘Indian Politics Are a Family Business’. In the piece, he argued that dynastic politics permeates all major political parties and described it as a “grave threat” to Indian democracy.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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