‘Have differences of opinion with Congress leadership’: Shashi Tharoor

Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, often at odds with his party on various issues, on Thursday acknowledged his differences with the Congress leadership but affirmed that he intends to remain within the party.

Tharoor, who returned to Kerala after leading an all-party delegation on a five-nation diplomatic outreach under the ‘Operation Sindoor’ initiative, declined to directly answer media queries. "I was not here, as you know, and very recently our senior leader Thennala Balakrishna Pillai passed away, and I am going there. So I am not going to answer your pointed questions, as I know what all questions you have in your mind," he told reporters.

He added, "Yes, I have differences of opinion with the Congress leadership, and that’s known to all. Some things are public, and I will meet them (leadership) directly, and if they ask me directly, I will also reply. I'm not going anywhere... I'm a Congressman."

Tharoor has faced internal criticism for accepting the government's invitation to lead the Operation Sindoor delegation—despite not being officially nominated by the Congress—and for his occasional praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, particularly the government's stance on cross-border terrorism.

In reply to a question on why he was not present to campaign for the Congress candidate at the crucial Nilambur assembly by-election that is taking place on Thursday, Tharoor tersely said, "I was not invited for it."

Reacting sharply to Tharoor's statement, fellow party Lok Sabha member Rajmohan Unnithan said that "what’s happening in Nilambur is not someone’s wedding to be invited".

"In the Congress party, what happens is it’s the leaders who inform their availability to the campaign committee, which decides which leader should campaign where, and there is no invitation extended to any Congress leader," said Unnithan, who is known for his razor-sharp tongue.

“For a while now, his (Tharoor) mind is with (PM) Modi and the body with the Congress party. All except Tharoor know where he is heading. He has no allegiance towards anyone other than himself, and he always forgets how he reached here after joining the Congress," he added.

(inputs from IANS)