'Not an opportunist': Shashi Tharoor quells speculations over him joining BJP

On Tuesday, Jyotiraditya Scindia dealt a heavy blow to the Congress when he resigned from the party along with his loyalist MLAs.

The departure of the Scindia fulled speculations that there will be more such exits, especially after senior Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi tweeted saying many devoted leaders across the country feel "alienated, wasted and discontented".

"Scindia's departure is a big blow to the Congress. He was a central pillar in the party and the leadership should've done more to convince him to stay," the 51-year-old Adampur MLA said in a tweet.

"Like him, there are many other devoted INC leaders across the country who feel alienated, wasted & discontented," Bishnoi added.

The power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam threatening to to quit the party accusing Sonia Gandhi's "coterie of sidelining Rahul Gandhi's team members" ahead of the Mumbai elections were sited as signs for the disgruntlement in the party.

There was also speculations of Shashi Tharror of joining the saffron party, but the Thiruvananthapuram MP was quick to put an end to such rumours. Taking to Twitter, Tharror said, “Not amused by the silly speculation about my joining @BJP4India. I entered politics not as a careerist but to advance principles I have articulated for nearly four decades. Check my paper trail! My record speaks for itself. I’ve never been an opportunist&won’t start now.” He also tweeted a screenshot of one such speculative news report that appeared on a Malayalam website.