Centre Bypasses Congress List: Tharoor In, Gogoi Out—Why Were Alternate Names Chosen?

The exclusion of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi from the recently announced all-party diplomatic delegation has sparked a major political row, with speculation mounting over Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s alleged role in the decision. The controversy deepened further with revelations that even MP Shashi Tharoor, who is slated to lead one of the seven delegations, was not among the names officially recommended by the Congress.

According to reports, the Congress had submitted the names of Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring for consideration. However, the final list approved by the Centre omitted Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, replacing them with a different set of Congress leaders—MP Shashi Tharoor, senior leader Salman Khurshid, MP Amar Singh and MP Manish Tewari—none of whom were proposed by the party.

Anand Sharma remains the only Congress nominee from the original list to be included in one of the delegations, prompting strong reactions from within the party.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed shock at the Centre's deviation from the submitted names, alleging that the government had "pre-decided" the list and only consulted Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi as a formality. He likened the move to "bodyline bowling"—technically within the rules but against the spirit of cooperation.

"On May 16 morning, the Modi Govt asked for 4 names of Congress MPs/leaders to represent the INC in the delegations being sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan. These 4 names were conveyed in writing by the LoP Lok Sabha to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs by 12 noon on May 16 itself. Very late tonight (May 17), the full list of members of all delegations has been officially released. Most regrettably, only one of the four names suggested by the INC leadership has been included. This proves the complete insincerity of the Modi government and shows the cheap political games it always plays on serious national issues. The four eminent Congress MPs/leaders who have been included at the instance of the Modi Govt will, of course, go with the delegations and make their contributions. The INC will not stoop to the pathetic level of the PM and the BJP. It will always uphold the finest traditions of Parliamentary democracy and not play partisan politics on national security issues, like the BJP does. INC wishes the delegations all the very best. These delegations should not, however, divert attention from the INC's demands to have all-party meetings chaired by the PM and for a special session of Parliament to reiterate the resolution adopted on February 22 1994, while also taking note of developments thereafter," said Ramesh in a tweet.

The exclusion of Gaurav Gogoi has been particularly contentious, with political observers pointing to prior public remarks made by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma, citing "credible documents", had raised national security concerns about an unnamed Congress MP from Assam—widely believed to be Gogoi—alleging that the MP had spent two weeks in Pakistan and that his wife, Elizabeth Gogoi, had received a salary from a Pakistan-based NGO while living in India. “These are not mere political allegations; they are matters of national interest,” Sarma said, urging Rahul Gandhi not to nominate the MP for sensitive diplomatic assignments.
While Congress leaders have refrained from naming Gogoi in their responses, the underlying tension has been unmistakable.

The reshuffle of Congress representatives has led many to question whether Gogoi’s exclusion was a direct result of Sarma’s warnings or part of a broader strategy by the Modi government to sideline voices perceived as politically inconvenient.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, led by Kiren Rijiju, officially announced the list of MPs who will represent India in its diplomatic outreach campaign following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India's subsequent retaliatory response under "Operation Sindoor". The campaign aims to highlight Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and convey India’s unified stance on the global stage.

The seven delegation leaders are:

1.    Shashi Tharoor (Congress)
2.    Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP)
3.    Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU)
4.    Baijayant Panda (BJP)
5.    Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (DMK)
6.    Supriya Sule (NCP)
7.    Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena)

Each team comprises six to seven MPs and will travel to around four to five countries as part of India’s diplomatic offensive. Other notable names include Anurag Thakur, Aparajita Sarangi, Asaduddin Owaisi, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Bhubaneswar Kalita, and Vikramjit Sawhney.

Despite the internal tensions, the Congress has reiterated its support for the diplomatic mission. However, it has warned against politicizing such sensitive initiatives. Jairam Ramesh also renewed the Congress's call for a special session of Parliament to discuss critical national security concerns, including the Pahalgam attack, India's stance on Pakistan and China, and the government's abstention during a recent IMF vote on a loan to Pakistan.

As questions persist over the true reasons behind the reshuffle, the episode has added another layer of intrigue to India’s political landscape—with many now speculating whether Himanta Biswa Sarma’s allegations tipped the scales in the corridors of power.

Also Read: Congress Cries Foul Over Delegation Selections, Accuses Modi Govt of Partisanship