Amit Shah’s Controversial Bill: Shashi Tharoor Sides with BJP, Rift with Congress Grows

As Union Minister Amit Shah introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha proposing the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers or Ministers if arrested and jailed for over 30 days, the rift between Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor and the Congress resurfaced.

While Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, as draconian, Shashi Tharoor took a divergent stance, backing the BJP.

Speaking to the media, he remarked, “If you spend 30 days in jail, can you continue to be a minister? This is a matter of common sense... I don’t see anything wrong in this.”
With reports suggesting the Bill may be referred to a select committee for scrutiny, Tharoor noted, “I think it is good for our democracy to have a discussion within the committee... so let’s have that discussion.”

Relations between Tharoor and the Congress have been strained in recent months, with the Thiruvananthapuram MP frequently praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tensions escalated when Tharoor was chosen to brief ‘partner nations’ on the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor.

Tharoor has acknowledged differences with the Congress and even met Rahul Gandhi, though the meeting yielded little outcome.

The MP has sought to play down the discord, describing it as ‘differences of opinion with only some elements of leadership.’

Asked about his ties with the Congress, Tharoor stressed that he has remained loyal to the party and its ideology for the past 16 years.

Dismissing speculation of a switch to the BJP, he clarified that his remarks on PM Modi’s dynamism should not be interpreted as an intent to join the Prime Minister’s party.

Alongside the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, Shah also tabled two other legislations: the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025.