Tharoor gives 'democracy' lesson after Trump's 'great' meeting with Mamdani
What's the story
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has reacted to the meeting between United States President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, which took place on Friday. Despite their contentious exchanges during the NYC mayoral election, the two leaders met at the White House with a cordial atmosphere. Responding to a clip from their meeting, Tharoor took to X to say, "This is how democracy should work," adding that he would "love to see more of this in India."
Trump-Mamdani meeting
Warm interaction between Trump and Mamdani
After months of calling Mamdani a "communist lunatic" and a "total nut job," following their meeting on Friday, Trump said at the press interaction that the meeting was very "productive," adding that New York would "hopefully have a great mayor." "I met with a man who's a very rational person," Trump said. The US president said that he was "confident" that the Democrat would do a "good job" and added that he would "surprise some Conservative people."
Political harmony
Tharoor advocates post-election cooperation
Tharoor also stressed the importance of cooperation after elections, saying, "Fight passionately for your point of view in elections, with no rhetorical holds barred." He added, "But once it's over, & the people have spoken, learn to cooperate with each other in the common interests of the nation you are both pledged to serve." Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated that the remarks were a reminder to the Congress to "put India First not Parivar."
Twitter Post
Tharoor's post on Mamdani-Trump bonhomie
This is how democracy should work. Fight passionately for your point of view in elections, with no rhetorical holds barred. But once it’s over, & the people have spoken, learn to cooperate with each other in the common interests of the nation you are both pledged to serve. I… https://t.co/NwXPZyhn20
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 22, 2025
Internal discord
Tharoor's recent remarks spark controversy within Congress
Tharoor's comments in the recent past have often stirred controversy within his own party. He recently praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ramnath Goenka Lecture as an economic forecast and cultural call to action. Tharoor also wrote an article for Project Syndicate titled Indian Politics Are a Family Business, where he criticized dynastic politics as a "grave threat" to Indian democracy.
Post-election analysis
Tharoor calls for introspection after Bihar election results
After the Bihar Assembly election results, Tharoor called for "very serious introspection." He emphasized "studying what went wrong, what were the tactical, messaging, or organisational mistakes." However, he admitted, "I was not invited to campaign in Bihar and therefore, I cannot give you any first-hand information. But I've been talking to people."