Tired of 'andhbhakts'? Shashi Tharoor suggests a new word for political puppets

Shashi Tharoor has suggested the rarely used English word 'quockerwodger' as an alternative to terms such as 'andhbhakts', 'godi' and 'paid followers'.Shashi Tharoor has described 'quockerwodger' as the 'word of our era' in an apparent dig at the BJP government.New Delhi,Nov 4, 2026 11:53 ISTTired of calling political loyalists 'andhbhakts', 'godi' or 'paid followers'? Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has a new word for them -- 'quockerwodger'.The Thiruvananthapuram MP has suggested the obscure English term as an alternative, using it to describe people who act as political puppets, controlled by someone else and following their instructions.The Thiruvananthapuram MP, known for introducing uncommon English words to his social media followers, explained that a 'quockerwodger' refers to "a political puppet; a person who is controlled by someone else and acts on their instructions".Sharing the definition on X, Tharoor wrote. "For those tired of describing people as 'andhbhakts', 'godi', 'paid followers' and the like, an acceptable alternative?" This was not the first time Tharoor had used the word to make a political point. In September, he described 'quockerwodger' as the "word of our era" in an apparent dig at the government, saying, "I think our ruling party has spawned a few of these in the last dozen years."Terms such as 'andhbhakts' and 'godi media' are commonly used by government critics to describe staunch BJP supporters and sections of the media that they accuse of promoting the government's narrative. Tharoor had also introduced the meaning of 'quockerwodger' in April 2022, calling it a useful addition to the country's political vocabulary. The author and politician has frequently drawn attention to obscure English words through his social media posts, often prompting followers to look up their meanings.Among the other words he has used in political contexts are 'allodoxaphobia', which he explained as an irrational fear of opinions, 'farrago', meaning a confused mixture, and 'troglodyte', referring to someone regarded as deliberately ignorant or old-fashioned.With his latest post, Tharoor has once again added an uncommon English word to the political lexicon, offering an alternative description for people he believes act at someone else's direction.- Ends