Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has once again diverged from the party line, this time over a contentious bill proposing the removal of senior government functionaries, including the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, if they remain in jail for over 30 consecutive days.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to be introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah, mandates that any minister who has been imprisoned for more than 30 days must resign or face dismissal. While the opposition, led by Congress, has slammed the bill as “draconian,” Tharoor has taken a contrary stance.

Speaking to NDTV, Tharoor said, “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.” He further stated that sending the bill to a select committee for scrutiny would be a positive move for democracy.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly opposed the bill, arguing that it could be misused. “Tomorrow, you can file any case against a chief minister, have him or her arrested for 30 days without conviction… and they cease to be a chief minister? It is absolutely anti-constitutional,” she said.

This development comes amid growing tension between Tharoor and the Congress leadership. His relationship with the party has been strained since 2021 when he joined the G-23 group questioning the Gandhis’ leadership. Recently, the rift deepened after Tharoor praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and criticized the Congress for skipping a special discussion on Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla.

While Tharoor has denied rumors of joining the BJP, his repeated differences with the party have sparked speculation. “It is not a sign of my leaping to join the Prime Minister’s party, as some people have been implying,” he clarified, emphasizing his loyalty to the Congress for the past 16 years.