‘Happy To See Bihar’s Progress’: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Praises Nitish Kumar-led NDA Govt

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday commended the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government for visible improvements in infrastructure, offering rare praise for a dispensation allied with the BJP, the Congress’

national rival.

Speaking during a visit to Bihar for the inaugural Nalanda Literary Festival at the revived Nalanda University, Tharoor said the state’s development exceeded his expectations.

“There’s no doubt the infrastructure is far better than what I had heard earlier. Roads have improved, people are out on the streets even late at night, which wasn’t always the case before. Electricity, water, everything seems to be functioning,” he said.

Tharoor added that several positive changes had taken place in recent years. However, when asked to comment directly on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he stopped short of political endorsements.

“Don’t draw me into politics here. I’m genuinely happy to see this progress. The people of Bihar and their elected representatives deserve the credit,” he said.

The Congress has not officially responded to Tharoor’s remarks praising a government that includes the BJP as a key ally.

Last month, speaking at a media interaction in Dubai, Tharoor had criticised the growing rigidity in Indian politics, arguing that ideological purism prevents leaders from acknowledging merit across party lines or engaging constructively with opponents.

A four-time MP, Tharoor is often viewed as being at odds with sections of the Congress leadership, particularly after comments that appeared to appreciate aspects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the BJP-led government’s actions.

These include his remarks on the Prime Minister’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent military strikes on Pakistan.

Tharoor has consistently maintained that his public comments are guided by national interest rather than partisan considerations.

Earlier this year, however, he had criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a hijab-related controversy, calling the incident inappropriate and stressing the need to respect women.

The controversy stemmed from a video that allegedly showed the Chief Minister asking a woman doctor, Dr Nusrat Parveen, to remove her hijab before receiving her appointment letter, and appearing to pull it off himself.

“All women must be treated with dignity and respect. What is seen in that video is not right,” Tharoor had said at the time.