Congress has tradition of crushing talent, Shashi Tharoor is facing this problem: BJP's Gourav Vallabh
As Congress continues to fume over the Central government giving a key role to Shashi Tharoor in diplomatic outreach delegations after Operation Sindoor other than the four given by the party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gourav Vallabh said the grand-old party has tradition of crushing merit and backing 'bootlickers' and the Congress leader is facing the same problem.
Gourav Vallabh said, 'Congress has a tradition to crushing merit and talent and backing their bootlickers. Even Shashi Tharoor is facing this problem because they did not give his name.'
'Congress did it because he contested the election against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. I don't understand how they can fall so low that they are sabotaging their own party leaders,' he said.
Congress has said that it was asked by the government to submit names of four MPs for the all-party delegations to be sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan and it nominated Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
It accused the Centre of not consulting the Congress before naming Shashi Tharoor to lead a government delegation. The party said it was 'dishonest' and 'downright mischievous' to first ask for nominations and then not include them.
Meanwhile, the row does not seem to die down easily as Shashi Tharoor, too, has accepted the government invite to lead the delegation. He cites 'national interest' a 'matter of duty' as a citizen of India.
Without acknowledging the Congress disapproval on the inclusion of his name but in a clear response to the party concerns, Shashi Tharoor asserted that only 'national interest is above everything else'.
Shashi Tharoor said, 'As I have mentioned, it is a very great honour. As a citizen being called upon to serve the nation at the time of crisis, is a matter of duty for all of us. At the same time, it is an honour that I have been asked to lead a delegation and I look forward very much to playing my part.'
'I have always said that when my services are required for the nation, I should not be found wanting and I had no hesitation in accepting the kind invitation of the government, which to my mind is nothing to do with politics and everything to do with our country's national interest. National interest, in my mind, are always above everything else.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
36 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Dynastic feuds may reshape Indian politics
In Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal leans on its OBC and Muslim vote bank, and Lalu Prasad Yadav's anti-elite legacy. His sons, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi, are locked in a clownish feud as Tej Pratap's social media rant about 'Jaichands' and a 12-year romance clash with Tejashwi's steady hand as Lalu's heir. The RJD's political now wobbles as Tej Pratap's antics, in the backdrop of his estranged wife Aishwarya's lament, alienate voters. If the RJD fractures, Bihar's educated youth craving jobs over drama could turn to the BJP's development narrative or Nitish Kumar's JD(U) again. Consolidation under Tejashwi would bolster the RJD's clout, challenging the BJP's dominance and forcing the Congress to play second fiddle in alliances. UP's Samajwadi Party (SP), rooted in Yadav and OBC identity, still stings from its 2016 family feud, when Akhilesh Yadav ousted uncle Shivpal, costing the party the 2017 election. Akhilesh now wields the SP's political clout consisting of its caste-based vote bank. But UP's urbanising youth, less swayed by caste, demand results. If the SP splinters further, the BJP with its Hindutva and development mix will tighten its grip on the state, leaving the Congress to pick up scraps. A unified SP leveraging its Yadav-Muslim base could challenge the BJP's hegemony, forcing national parties to negotiate hard for UP's 80 Lok Sabha seats. Maharashtra's NCP, built on Maratha pride and rural networks, is reeling from Ajit Pawar's 2023 betrayal splitting from Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule to join the BJP. Ajit's grab for the NCP's name, symbol and the Maratha vote bank left Supriya's faction scrambling. If the split persists, the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena will dominate the state, with the Congress gaining marginal urban votes. A reunited NCP, though a long shot, could reclaim its kingmaker status, forcing national parties to vie for its support in coalition games. The BSP, anchored in Dalit empowerment, is Mayawati's fortress. Her anointment of brother Anand Kumar and nephew Aakash screams of nepotism. Its political capital is its Jatav Dalit base, which is slipping as educated Dalits drift to BJP's development promises. If the BSP collapses under dynastic weight, the BJP will absorb its voters, cementing dominance in UP, while the Congress might snag urban Dalits. Consolidation under Aakash, if Mayawati steps back, could revive the BSP's Dalit clout, challenging national parties in UP's caste cauldron. West Bengal's Trinamool Congress, fuelled by Bengali sub-nationalism, is Mamata Banerjee's domain, with nephew Abhishek Banerjee as heir. His rise as MP and party general secretary irks veterans, but Mamata's grip keeps dissent at bay. But Bengal's growing middle class demands merit. If the TMC fractures post-Mamata, the BJP's Hindutva pitch could sway voters, with the Congress a distant contender. A consolidated TMC under Abhishek could dominate Bengal, forcing national parties to cede ground in eastern coalitions. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK thrives on Dravidian identity, championing Tamil pride and social justice. M K Stalin, Karunanidhi's son, rules unchallenged, grooming his son Udhayanidhi Stalin as successor, with hardly any overt pushback from anyone within the family or outside. The DMK's politics, comprising its Tamil base and anti-Hindi stance, is robust, but Tamil Nadu's IT-driven prosperity is breeding a youth sceptical of dynasty. In the unlikely but hypothetical situation of the DMK splintering, the BJP could gain urban footholds while the AIADMK mops up rural votes. A unified DMK, with Udhayanidhi at the helm, would keep Tamil Nadu a regional stronghold by marginalising national parties. The Pattali Makkal Katchi, ensconced in Tamil Nadu's Vanniyar caste silo, faces collapse as S Ramadoss battles son Anbumani, who was sacked from party president's chair in April 2025 over a BJP alliance spat. Anbumani's defiance targets the PMK's political foundation. If the PMK implodes, the DMK and AIADMK will rupture its fountainhead, with the BJP gaining marginal caste votes. But a united PMK could still sway coalitions, forcing national parties to court its niche clout.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
As charges swirl, KLIS duel boils over
Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy slammed former minister T Harish Rao , alleging that Telangana's irrigation sector suffered irreversible damage due to the faulty decisions made by the BRS govt. He demanded Harish Rao tender an unconditional apology for misleading the people of the state on the Kaleshwaram project. In a statement on Saturday, Uttam refuted the allegations levelled by Harish Rao and claimed that after the BRS govt inaugurated the project in 2019, only 162 TMC of water was lifted, of which 63 TMC was released into the sea. He demanded an answer from Harish on how the BRS govt managed to irrigate 22 lakh acres with just 99 TMC. "The BRS govt took out rallies after their delegation returned from Maharashtra and announced that a barrage would be constructed at Thummidihatti. A gravity canal was also constructed from Thummidihatti to Yellampally, covering a distance of 100 km. While that was a gravity-based project, Kaleshwaram relies on reverse pumping — only to release a huge quantity of water into sea," the minister claimed. He also dismissed allegations that the previous Congress govt had spent very little on the Pranahitha-Chevella project. He said before the formation of state, 6,156 crore was spent on the project and by 2016, it rose to 11,679 crore. The minister further said the Central Water Commission had never claimed there was no water availability at Thummidithatti. He said that had the BRS govt completed the project at the site with about 38,000 crore, it could have irrigated 17 lakh acres of new ayacut up to Chevella — eliminating the need for 1 lakh crore for the Kaleshwaram project. Of the remaining amount of 62,000 crore (if Pranahitha-Chevella was taken up with 38,000 cr), the govt could have completed many projects such as Palamuru, Nettampadu, Bheema, SLBC, Dindi, Sitharama, and other projects, Uttam claimed. He further said the govt was paying 16,000 crore in interest on the loans taken by the BRS govt for the Kaleshwaram project.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Mevani attacks BJP over atrocities on Dalits, weaker sections in Gujarat
Congress's Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's silence on alleged incidents of atrocities against Dalits, adivasis and other weaker sections in Gujarat, and announced that the party will hit the streets to raise the issue. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in the Capital, Mevani accused the PM, the Home Minister and the RSS of 'putting the values of Manusmriti above the Constitution'. Citing the low conviction rate in cases of atrocities on Dalits, Mevani said at the national level, this figure is 30-35%, but in Gujarat it is only 3-5%, which means 95% of the culprits in the state go scot-free. The Congress leader told reporters that several incidents of Dalit atrocities have been reported from Gujarat such as the murder of a 19-year-old Dalit youth in Amreli, the alleged setting ablaze of a Dalit senior citizen in Patan and the alleged gangrape of a Dalit girl in which BJP members are alleged to have been involved. 'The Congress is preparing to launch a massive demonstration in August-September against atrocities being afflicted on Dalits, adivasis and those from the weakened sections in Gujarat,' he announced.
