'Spoke as an Indian', Shashi Tharoor clarifies after BJP praise for 'egg on my face' remark

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday justified his changed stand on the position taken by India in the Russia-Ukraine war issue and said he made his opinion as a "Bharatheeyan" and he doesn't see politics in that.

The Congress leader on Tuesday conceded that he was left with an "egg on his face" in opposing India's stance when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out and said due to the policy that was adopted, the country is now in a position where it can make a difference for lasting peace.

Tharoor had earlier criticised India's stance when Russia attacked Ukraine and called for condemnation of the aggression.

"I spoke on the matter as a Bharatheeyan (Indian). I dont see politics in that," he told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.

It is not a topic to be viewed politically, he said, without elaborating much.

Meanwhile, the BJP leadership in Kerala hailed Tharoor for his changed stance and said his "honesty" in praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomacy is "commendable".

BJP state president K Surendran said he has always admired the candor of the Congress MP.

He said the Thiruvananthapuram MP sees India's global rise under PM Modi and it is "truly a refreshing take".

"Dear @ShashiTharoor ji, I've always admired your candor. Your honesty in saying 'I opposed it initially' and now praising Modiplomacy's success on Russia-Ukraine is commendable. Unlike your #INC peers, you see India's global rise under PM @narendramodi ji, truly a refreshing take!" Surendran posted in his 'X' handle.

Tharoor said on Tuesday that the policy adopted by India following the outbreak of the conflict meant that the country has actually a prime minister who can hug both the president of Ukraine and the president in Moscow two weeks apart and be accepted in both places.

During an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue here, the former minister of state for external affairs said, "I am still wiping the egg off my face because I am one person in the parliamentary debate who actually criticised the Indian position at the time back in February 2022.