‘First thing I did upon landing…’: How Shashi Tharoor, other politicians reacted to RCB’s maiden IPL victory
BJP’s Tejaswi Surya and Congress’s Shashi Tharoor shared a video celebrating RCB’s historic win, with Surya tweeting, “Wishing RCB from Washington DC.”
The streets of Bengaluru echoed with the sound of crackers and chants of ‘Ee Sala Cup Namde’ (this time the cup is ours) on Tuesday night, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru or RCB clinched their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title, ending an 18-year-long quest for the trophy.

Excited fans and youth flooded the streets, celebrating the momentous win with firecrackers and spirited slogans, especially hailing star players like Virat Kohli. The celebrations were not just limited to fans — leaders across political parties took to social media to congratulate the team on their historic achievement.
RCB secured the title with a narrow six-run win over Punjab Kings in the final held in Ahmedabad, putting an end to nearly two decades of anticipation.
After finishing second in the group stage, RCB stormed into the final with a commanding eight-wicket victory in Qualifier 1 against table-toppers PBKS. Punjab Kings later defeated Mumbai Indians to reach their second-ever IPL final, where they once again fell short — this time to a determined RCB side.
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Political leaders celebrate RCB’s big win after 18 years
Tejasvi Surya and Shashi Tharoor cheer RCB from Washington DC: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who is part of India's multi-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, shared a video on X celebrating RCB’s victory. The two were in Washington DC when the match concluded.
Surya said, "We were on the flight when news of RCB’s win came through, but the first thing we checked after landing was this."
He added, "I am with Shashi Tharoor, who is also an RCB supporter."
Both leaders expressed their joy in the video and called the win a momentous occasion. Surya posted the clip on X with the caption: “Wishing RCB from Washington DC upon our touchdown.”
In a separate post, Shashi Tharoor wrote, “First thing I did upon landing in Washington was to check the #IPLFinal score. Very happy for @imVkohli that he #18 laid his hands on the trophy after 18 years of service! Congratulations #RCB! #ViratKohli.”
CM Siddaramaiah's Rrrrrrrrr.... Cccccccc.... Bbbbbbbbb....' chant: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah lauded the historic victory and called it a fulfilment of a long-held dream. He posted: “Congratulations to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on a historic IPL triumph. The dream has finally come true – Ee Sala Cup Namde!”
He added, "From electrifying performances to unshakable spirit, this triumph has ignited the pride of Karnataka and thrilled fans across the world."
DK Shivakumar says ‘An emotional moment for the RCB Army’: Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar called RCB’s victory more than just a win — an emotional milestone for fans. He said: “This is more than a win - it’s an emotional moment for the entire RCB Army.” And added: “Ee Sala Cup Namde! Huge congratulations to RCB on this unforgettable, historic victory in the IPLFinals. 18 years of passion, loyalty, and never giving up - and tonight, it all came together!”
HD Kumaraswamy says it is ‘a win for fans who never gave up’: Union minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy praised the team's resilience and credited fans for their unwavering support. He said, “What a moment for Bengaluru, Karnataka and cricket lovers across the nation! RCB emerges victorious — a testament to grit, belief, and the spirit of Karnataka.” He added that he was proud of the team for creating history and saluted the fans who stood by RCB for 18 years.
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav: MP CM congratulated RCB and highlighted the role of Indore’s Rajat Patidar in the team's success saying, “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to @RCBTweets team on becoming the winner for the first time with an unprecedented victory in #IPLFinal match. The team achieving top success under the leadership of Rajat Patidar of Indore is a moment of immense joy, celebration and pride for all of us residents of Madhya Pradesh. The new talents of cricket performed brilliantly, best wishes to all of you for a bright future.”
Rishi Sunak cheers RCB live from Ahmedabad: Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attended the IPL final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, along with his wife Akshata Murty, to support RCB. He posted a selfie on X and wrote, "Let's go @RCBTweets."
ABOUT THE AUTHORLingamgunta Nirmitha RaoNirmitha Rao is a journalist at Hindustan Times, covering political and human interest stories with a keen focus on science and environmental journalism.

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