{"id":24142,"date":"2025-11-13T19:14:25","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T19:14:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/13\/insistence-on-loyalty-undermines-democracy-shashi-tharoor-on-political-practices-by-parties-politics-news\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T19:14:25","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T19:14:25","slug":"insistence-on-loyalty-undermines-democracy-shashi-tharoor-on-political-practices-by-parties-politics-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/13\/insistence-on-loyalty-undermines-democracy-shashi-tharoor-on-political-practices-by-parties-politics-news\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Insistence On Loyalty Undermines Democracy&#8217;: Shashi Tharoor On Political Practices By Parties | Politics News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"story-9705910\">\n<p><span class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-4143937483\">Last Updated:<\/span><time class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-4143937483\">November 14, 2025, 00:10 IST<\/time><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"asubttl-9705910\" class=\"jsx-c9f81425ec968c48 jsx-67575613 asubttl-schema\">Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also addressed the evolving ideological direction of the Congress, suggesting that it has become notably more Leftist in recent years<\/h2>\n<div class=\"jsx-c9f81425ec968c48 jsx-67575613\">\n<figure class=\"jsx-c9f81425ec968c48 jsx-67575613 amimg\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor delivers the Jyoti Komireddy Memorial Lecture on 'Radical Centrism: My Vision for India' in memory of Jyoti Komireddy, a pioneering women's rights activist and legislator who passed away in 2024, in Hyderabad on November 13, 2025. (Image: PTI)\" title=\"Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor delivers the Jyoti Komireddy Memorial Lecture on 'Radical Centrism: My Vision for India' in memory of Jyoti Komireddy, a pioneering women's rights activist and legislator who passed away in 2024, in Hyderabad on November 13, 2025. (Image: PTI)\" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/ibnlive\/uploads\/2021\/07\/1627283897_news18_logo-1200x800.jpg?impolicy=website&amp;width=400&amp;height=225\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"jsx-c9f81425ec968c48 jsx-67575613\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor delivers the Jyoti Komireddy Memorial Lecture on &#8216;Radical Centrism: My Vision for India&#8217; in memory of Jyoti Komireddy, a pioneering women&#8217;s rights activist and legislator who passed away in 2024, in Hyderabad on November 13, 2025. (Image: PTI)<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"0\" class=\"story_para_0\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has shared a broader observation regarding political practices saying each party\u2019s insistence on loyalty undermines democracy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"1\" class=\"story_para_1\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">Tharoor also addressed the evolving ideological direction of the Congress, suggesting that it has become notably more Leftist in recent years in response to the \u201cdivisive politics&#8221; of the BJP.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"2\" class=\"story_para_2\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">\u201cEach party\u2019s insistence on loyalty to its leaders rather than to a set of principles undermines democracy,&#8221; Tharoor said while delivering the Jyoti Komireddy Memorial Lecture on \u2018Radical Centrism: My Vision for India\u2019 in Hyderabad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"3\" class=\"story_para_3\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">The lecture was in memory of Jyoti Komireddy, a pioneering women\u2019s rights activist and legislator who passed away in 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"4\" class=\"story_para_4\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">Tharoor noted that, in some ways, one of the consequences of tactical adjustments has been that his party has become \u201ca much more, sort of, Left party than it used to be&#8221;. This current ideological stance stands in contrast to previous periods in the party\u2019s history.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"5\" class=\"story_para_5\">\u201cBut, tactical adjustments have been made more and more. In fact, in some ways, one of the consequences is my party has become a much more, sort of, Left party than it used to be. In the sense that, if you look at the party of say Dr Manmoban Singh, you could argue it was more consciously centrist in its approach. It borrowed from some of the policies of the predecessor BJP government,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"6\" class=\"story_para_6\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">Specifically, he pointed out that if one examines the party under Dr Manmohan Singh, \u201cyou could argue it was more consciously centrist in its approach&#8221;. He said the government led by Dr Manmohan Singh had borrowed from some of the policies of the predecessor BJP government.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"7\" class=\"story_para_7\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">The Congress MP recalled historical continuity, noting that the Congress had established some policies in the early 1990s under then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, which the BJP subsequently followed when it came to power a few years later.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"8\" class=\"story_para_8\"><span style=\"font-weight:400\">He argued that there was a distinctly centrist phase in Congress between 1991 and 2009, which arguably began changing after that period. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight:400\">When delivering his remarks, he clarified that his comments were focused on convictions and ideology, where certain gaps needed to be bridged, rather than on \u201cnuts and bolts practical politics&#8221;. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight:400\">He added that what he was advocating went beyond immediate tactical adjustments at the political seat level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"9\" class=\"story_para_9\"><em><strong>(With PTI inputs)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd atawrap\">\n<div class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd atadetailwrp\">\n<div class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd ataname\"><span class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd atthumb\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"News Desk\" title=\"News Desk\" src=\"data:image\/jpeg;base64,UklGRgIDAABXRUJQVlA4IPYCAAAwJQCdASosAcgAPmEwlkekIyIhJDcIkIAMCWlu4XVRG2jfiezIohx5359wXuC9wXuC9wXuC9wXuC9wXuC9wXuC9wXuC9wXuC9wXuCq2ceFaLiV1H\/8x9KwXf\/OJLzd1lEVyRpIJzRpHhHXSnGBod9IfYFu9Ruvr0h55Rv1jwdfEvYf5d4GaFyCsqZGWdaid2H9uJlL8XfDpo4g+wC3ExOPLYgOdJ4t1Mblm4ysYoXF3UiI\/9o2hGBY87tiBEHfdTovs\/BCUUX7JmRRDV8ns9emZLbbgGLReXrq58pYe3e+cWwEE6VkgKz9XtXMNjKSc5T3w+yapJRHVhcUQ47hE3tkyf2QSiF+YwKTtepaied+fcF7gvcF7gvcF7gvcF7gvcF7gvcF7gvcF7gvcF7gvcF7fgAA\/v9y6AAAtG7FCnlC644LTxONH+0DNmaexB4oaAsZzGu\/EonTQ3s6CyPU09LPMFvfmIHni8v9IjHEBaNnLXPrqmWQ5bnizZgGM6Dqz0t2UEqzewqsz5Yq8Xksvl8hLAAcYVn\/kYLMj0KB\/KSMB3q6y8CZTcEz4OrUgbMbd8Zb1kQlSEVdGHtMMFj69samn9sIUV8x7MXPx5K4u\/jZ603Gm8N6Qwhe4FxNhjInXZO8aRl7T3dnNp6b8nkjX3MoF\/PqV+wnu14N6gCHHg58HAlI8rwKTacUs0dxcaYP5oVoCMa+Wg13ibQGDE9IW16Mp9V+3SBCD1p5zrCGXcG3CYpUJi0WPhKZFr2sF8HRNjNsEnJduIFUAhoQdZxL5hQe5AS0QaTvrxdQ5z1hw1kwJ5B2nQkPod8XD6Y3E4eJMn8tr0BCibcIusPCYW\/4+G\/Yeuobu\/pr82bvxdoSZau6Ow6+Xjyq2pr2q953XKusKZQ30SJx5oE8NuUARh6i4MjKzHe9TFXjvwJhq5g0AWjhEsVVBk+JQLUDtYLpKb9AbKWeNzZhAZLYjWS474VUOSu6MqC5ItYIQIvL+wGTcSajbQAAAAAAAA==\" class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd\"\/><\/figure>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd attitle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/byline\/news-desk-17918.html\" class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd atamail\">News Desk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d&#8230;<span class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd aurpdebtn\">Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d&#8230;<!-- --> <span class=\"jsx-95088aad1b3c53cd aurpdebtn\">Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-c9f81425ec968c48 jsx-67575613 atbtlink fp\"><span>First Published:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rs\">\n<p>November 14, 2025, 00:04 IST<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-c9f81425ec968c48 jsx-67575613 brdcrmb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/\">News<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/politics\/\">politics<\/a>  <span class=\"brdout\"> &#8216;Insistence On Loyalty Undermines Democracy&#8217;: Shashi Tharoor On Political Practices By Parties<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"coral-wrap\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f \">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coral-cont\">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coltoptxt\">Disclaimer: Comments reflect users\u2019 views, not News18\u2019s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/disclaimer\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Terms of Use<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/privacy_policy\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"jsx-c9f81425ec968c48 jsx-67575613 rmbtn news18_read_more\">Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/politics\/insistence-on-loyalty-undermines-democracy-shashi-tharoor-on-political-practices-by-parties-ws-l-9705910.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last Updated:November 14, 2025, 00:10 IST Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also addressed the evolving ideological direction of the Congress, suggesting that it has become notably more Leftist in recent years Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor delivers the Jyoti Komireddy Memorial Lecture on &#8216;Radical Centrism: My Vision for India&#8217; in memory of Jyoti Komireddy, a pioneering&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24142"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24142\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}