Tharoor: Rahul Gandhi has ignited enthusiasm among young voters, BJP should pay attention
Synopsis
At the NDTV World Summit, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor turned the BJP's 'failed product' taunt on its head — arguing that the ruling party's very obsession with Rahul Gandhi proves he is gaining political ground, especially among young voters. The exchange captures a deepening BJP-Congress war of words ahead of key state elections.
Key Takeaways
Shashi Tharoor said Rahul Gandhi has 'ignited new enthusiasm' among young voters in recent months, speaking at the NDTV World Summit on 23 October 2026 .
PM Narendra Modi , also at the summit, called Gandhi a 'failed product' without naming him, referencing the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in a jibe at Congress's repeated attempts to 'launch its leader.' Tharoor argued the BJP's efforts to 'demonise' Gandhi were proof of the Opposition leader's rising political relevance.
He defended Congress's internal democracy and rebutted the claim that the Gandhi surname had become a liability for the party.
Rahul Gandhi has been leading the Opposition campaign alleging manipulation of electoral rolls by CEC Gyanesh Kumar at the BJP's behest — a charge the ruling party denies.
Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor on Friday, 23 October 2026 defended Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi against a recent 'failed product' jibe from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that Gandhi had 'ignited new enthusiasm' among the electorate — particularly young voters — over the past few months. Speaking at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi, Tharoor said it was time for the ruling party to 'sit up and pay attention' to the growing political disenchantment in the country.
Tharoor Counters the BJP's 'Failed Product' Charge
Tharoor's remarks came directly in response to a sharp jab at Gandhi delivered a day earlier by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also speaking at the NDTV World Summit. Modi, without naming anyone, said: 'I don't know how long the Congress will continue to put the country at stake for the launch of its failed product. (The Satish Dhawan Space Centre at) Sriharikota does not see as many launches as the Congress tries, unsuccessfully, to launch its leader in a year.'
Tharoor argued that the BJP's sustained messaging against Gandhi was itself evidence of the Opposition leader's growing political traction. 'They are trying to demonise him,' he said, adding that the ruling party had, in fact, already started paying attention to the shift in public sentiment.
Intra-Party Democracy and the Gandhi Surname Debate
Tharoor also pushed back on Modi's claim that the Gandhi family surname had become a burden on the Indian National Congress (Congress). He pointed to his own experience within the party as evidence of its internal pluralism. 'Ours is a party with a tremendous amount of intra-party democracy. I have expressed views that have sometimes been at variance in my party, but I'm still here. I'm still in the party: a choice to represent a section of the electorate, to campaign for my government as a leader, to chair a parliamentary committee, this one on external affairs,' said Tharoor, who represents the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Parliament.
He further asserted that the Congress was fully prepared to take the government head-on, provided there was a 'level playing field.'
Electoral Rolls Row: Context Behind the BJP-Congress Clash
The exchange at the NDTV World Summit unfolded against a charged political backdrop. Gandhi has recently been at the forefront of the Opposition's campaign against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls and claiming the exercise was being carried out at the behest of the BJP. The ruling party has denied the allegations. This is not the first time the two sides have clashed over the election commission's functioning — the Congress has repeatedly questioned the institution's independence ahead of state assembly cycles.
Tharoor on Global Uncertainty and Multipolarity
Broadening his remarks to international affairs, Tharoor said the world was entering 'a period of profound uncertainty' as established global institutions struggled to keep pace with emerging realities. He argued that old geopolitical certainties were fading, American dominance was increasingly being challenged, and the international order was undergoing a transformation 'whose final shape remains unclear.' The remarks reflect an ongoing debate within Indian foreign policy circles about how New Delhi should position itself in a multipolar world order.
With assembly elections on the horizon in several states, both the BJP and Congress are expected to sharpen their political messaging — making the current war of words between top leadership a preview of the campaign battles ahead.
Point of View
Which is precisely what the Opposition wants. Tharoor's rebuttal was less a defence than an inversion: if the ruling party is spending prime-time summit airspace on Gandhi, it suggests internal polling is flagging something worth worrying about. The deeper tension here is structural: both parties are using the same event, the NDTV World Summit, to address the same audience, but with starkly opposed readings of public sentiment. The electoral rolls controversy, if it gains traction, could become the Congress's most potent pre-election mobilisation tool — and the BJP's escalating rhetoric suggests it is at least somewhat concerned that it might.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Shashi Tharoor say about Rahul Gandhi at the NDTV World Summit?
Tharoor said Rahul Gandhi had ignited new enthusiasm among people, particularly young voters, in recent months, and called on the BJP to 'sit up and pay attention' to growing public disenchantment. He argued that the ruling party's attempts to 'demonise' Gandhi were themselves a sign of the Opposition leader's rising political relevance.
What was PM Modi's 'failed product' remark about?
PM Narendra Modi, speaking at the NDTV World Summit a day before Tharoor, said without naming anyone: 'I don't know how long the Congress will continue to put the country at stake for the launch of its failed product.' He compared Congress's repeated attempts to project its leader to the launches at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, calling them unsuccessful.
Why has Rahul Gandhi been targeting CEC Gyanesh Kumar?
Rahul Gandhi has been spearheading the Opposition campaign alleging large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claiming it is being done at the BJP's behest. The BJP has denied these allegations.
How did Tharoor respond to charges that the Gandhi surname is a burden on Congress?
Tharoor rejected the claim, citing Congress's 'tremendous amount of intra-party democracy' as evidence that the party is not a dynastic monolith. He pointed to his own track record of expressing dissenting views within the party while continuing to hold positions, including chairing the parliamentary committee on external affairs.
What did Tharoor say about global geopolitics at the NDTV World Summit?
Tharoor said the world is entering a period of profound uncertainty, with established global institutions struggling to keep pace with emerging realities. He argued that American dominance is increasingly being challenged and that the international order is undergoing a transformation whose final shape remains unclear.
