Hinting at his joining politics, former United Nations diplomat and writer Shashi Tharoor on Friday said that if given an opportunity, he would like to join the Congress.

"I have indeed been having some serious conversations about entering politics. Now that I have left the UN, I have an opportunity to put my feet where my mouth used to be," Tharoor told media persons in Mumbai [Images].

"Let me say that I am not running for anything now but I am also not running away from anything. If the opportunity is offered, I certainly would consider it very seriously because I do feel that in democracy politics is the means of bringing about change for the country and having some impact on the future direction," Tharoor said.

When asked which party he would like to join, he said that the party has to be national.

"I have nothing economically in common with the ideology of the Left and Communist parties. Those who had followed my writing from years know that I have nothing in common with communalism that has been unfortunately encouraged by people associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party...and that basically means the Congress party," he said.

Tharoor also said the option of the Congress for him was not purely by default as he believed that the Congress and the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] were right while dealing with big issues India was facing today.

"I will be inclined, if, as I said the door is open, that will be the door I seek to open," Tharoor added.