Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday took pointed digs at his own party as early vote-count trends indicated a weak performance for the INDIA alliance in Bihar.
With the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leading by a significant margin, Tharoor told reporters that the results must be examined closely once the final numbers are released. 
&ldquo;It's a question of leading at the moment... let&rsquo;s wait for the Election Commission to discuss and disclose the results,&rdquo; he said, adding that all parties, including the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), &ldquo;must study their performance in detail.&rdquo;
He stressed that multiple factors influence electoral outcomes and noted, &ldquo;One has to look in totality as during elections there are a number of factors. Lot of issues have to be looked, let us analyse what happened. I was not invited to campaign there, so those who went there will know better what happened there.&rdquo;
Tharoor also remarked that Congress was not the senior ally in the state&rsquo;s coalition arrangement.
Criticising the NDA government, he pointed to benefits reportedly extended to women voters shortly before the Model Code of Conduct came into effect. 
&ldquo;Whether we like it or not... that is legal under our laws... I am afraid this is not the first time that we have seen state governments doing such things, giving benefits to certain segments of society,&rdquo; he said, citing similar instances in Maharashtra.
His remarks come as initial trends show the INDIA bloc struggling, with the Congress reportedly leading in only about five of the 61 seats it contested.
This is not the first time Tharoor&rsquo;s comments have stirred internal unease. 
His regular critiques have caused discomfort within sections of the party, particularly in Kerala, where the Congress is engaged in a direct contest with both the CPI(M) and the BJP.

Shashi Tharoor speaking to media in Kerala

Tharoor questions Congress strategy as INDIA bloc struggles in early Bihar trends

Tharoor Questions Congress As INDIA Slips In Bihar

Tharoor questions Congress strategy as INDIA bloc struggles in early Bihar trends

November 14, 2025 | 19:28 IST