The BJP on Saturday (June 20, 2026) claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is losing support within his own party and cited Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s purported remarks praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attack the Opposition leader.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Mr. Tharoor’s remarks on PM Modi’s handling of the seafarers issue before U.S. President Donald Trump contradict Mr. Gandhi’s stand.

“It is embarrassing. Yesterday was Rahul Gandhi’s birthday, but he did not receive any gift. Dr. Shashi Tharoor contradicted Rahul Gandhi’s stand on the same issue, saying Prime Minister Modi articulated India’s position on the sailors’ issue very forcefully before President Trump and conveyed the country’s stance effectively,” Mr. Poonawalla said in a video statement.

The BJP leader further claimed that Mr. Tharoor has praised PM Modi’s leadership qualities.

“Not just that, Tharoor has been effusively praised Prime Minister Modi’s vision, articulation, dynamism and oratory. He has said Modi has left a stamp on the lives of Indians,” he claimed.

Mr. Poonawalla also targeted the Congress over its projection of Rahul Gandhi as a future prime ministerial candidate and claimed that some leaders within the party do not share that view.

“On one hand, the Congress says ‘Cool PM Rahul’ and claims that Rahul Gandhi will become the country’s prime minister. But his own MPs do not seem to believe that,” he said.

Claiming that Mr. Gandhi has lost public support, as well as the backing of people once considered close to him, Mr. Poonawalla said, “This shows Rahul Gandhi has lost the janmat, having lost 99 elections. He has lost the support of people who were once close to him, whether it is Ramachandra Guha or Shashi Tharoor.”

The BJP spokesperson also alleged that some allies of the Congress are unwilling to accept Mr. Gandhi’s leadership.

“And now, he does not have the support of his alliance partners either. Be it the Left or the DMK, they do not accept his leadership. Rahul Gandhi has been reduced to a reel neta (politician); he is not a real neta,” Mr. Poonawalla said.