Shashi Tharoor hails Rahul Gandhi as 'Man of the Match' in Lok Sabha polls, advocates for leader of opposition role

Tharoor, who won his fourth straight election from Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha polls, told PTI that the message of the mandate was that the electorate have given a "comeuppance" to the BJP's "overweening arrogance" and its "my way or the high way attitude".

Speaking in cricket analogies, the Congress leader said Rahul Gandhi was "unquestionably, indeed the man of the match" of the polls and in a number of places the Congress "hit the ball out of the park".

"He (Gandhi) and Congress president (Mallikarjun) Kharge campaigned extensively throughout the country, but Mr Kharge is in the Rajya Sabha where he leads the Opposition and it would only be fitting that Rahul Gandhi does the same in the Lok Sabha. I have certainly conveyed my view both publicly and privately in that regard," Tharoor said.