Latest news with #Tharoor
India Today
12 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Shashi Tharoor dares Kerala Congress over 'pro-Modi' snub, asks 'who are they?'
A significant rift has emerged between Shashi Tharoor and the Kerala Congress, with the state unit boycotting the Thiruvananthapuram MP over his alleged 'pro-Modi' position. The Kerala Congress has stated it will not cooperate with Tharoor, accusing him of attacking the party, Indira Gandhi, and opposing Rahul Gandhi's statements. In response, Tharoor has challenged his critics, asking, "Who are they? What is their party position?" He maintains there is no basis for the allegations. This internal conflict intensifies as the state unit calls for the Congress High Command to intervene. The friction is also reportedly linked to Tharoor's expressed interest in being the Chief Ministerial candidate for the next Assembly elections, a move that has caused friction with some state leaders.
NDTV
13 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Don't Talk To Me About Others...": Congress-Shashi Tharoor Rift Widens
New Delhi: The Congress ' Shashi Tharoor problem seems to be just getting bigger, and it exploded again Tuesday afternoon after the Lok Sabha MP snapped back at critics, in this case K Muraleedharan - though he did not name the senior Congress leader from Kerala - and his "he is not with us" declaration. "The people who are saying this should have some basis for saying so. Who are they? I want to know. Then we will see. Don't ask me about the behaviour of others. I can (only) talk about my behaviour," an irritated Mr Tharoor told reporters in Delhi. He did not name those critics, but the reference was clear. On Sunday K Muraleedharan, a four-time former MP and two-time ex-MLA, said Shashi Tharoor would no longer be welcome to party programme in the state till he reverses comments made after the Pahalgam terror attack in April and India's subsequent military response, i.e., Operation Sindoor. #WATCH | Delhi: On statements by Congress leaders against him, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "The people who are saying this should have some basis for saying so. Who are they? I want to know. Then we will see. Don't ask me about the behaviour of others. I can talk about my… — ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2025 "Till he (Tharoor) changes his stance, we will not invite him to any party programme held in Thiruvananthapuram. He is not with us... so there is no question of him boycotting an event." Mr Muraleedharan also slammed Mr Tharoor over a contentious survey that indicated the latter was the 'preferred choice' to replace Pinarayi Vijayan as chief minister after next year's election. The Congress later rubbished that "cooked up" survey; "Such surveys have no credibility. They are all cooked up. You will see many such surveys come up before the election (next year)," the party said. \READ | The critical remarks followed Shashi Tharoor saying he prioritises development over politics and political parties. He was heavily criticised, as he was for comments about the Emergency and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and others praising PM Narendra Modi's leadership after the Pahalgam attack - but insisted he would not back down "because I believe this is the right thing for the country". READ | Shashi Tharoor Praises PM's Terror Response, Gets Congress 'CC' Strike Shashi Tharoor's relationship with the Congress - uncertain since 2021, when he joined a group of 'dissenters', i.e., the G-23, and questioned the Gandhis' leadership after a string of election defeats - has taken a sharp downturn over the past few months. The Congress expressed its unease over positive comments about Mr Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, comments amplified after he was handpicked as one of the few opposition MPs chosen to brief 'partner nations' on the Pahalgam attack and India's military response. READ | Tharoor Calls PM "Prime Asset For India" In New Provocation For Congress Mr Tharoor has acknowledged differences of opinion between himself and the Congress leadership; he even met Rahul Gandhi, but nothing seemed to come of that meeting. Speaking to NDTV last month, he played down, again, any talk of friction with the party, calling such incidents "differences of opinion... with only some elements of leadership". When NDTV asked him how he would define his relationship with the Congress today, he pointed out he had been loyal to the party and its ideology for the last 16 years. Mr Tharoor has also firmly denied any talk of a switch to the BJP, a move that could re-align and re-shape India's political lanscape. "It is not a sign of my leaping to join the Prime Minister's party... as some people have been implying..." he said after his remarks about Mr Modi's "dynamism".
India Today
14 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
What is their party position? Shashi Tharoor on snub by Kerala Congress
MP Shashi Tharoor said there was no basis to the charges by a section of Congress leaders over his stance on the national security issue, asserting that he was "not at all" worried about his future with the to the media outside Parliament, Tharoor attempted to play down the apparent tensions with the Congress leadership even as he took a swipe at the party's Kerala asked about Kerala Congress leader K Muraleedharan's remark that he would not be invited to any party event in the state, a visibly unfazed Tharoor gave a cryptic response. "The people who are saying this should have some basis for saying so. Who are they? What is their party position? I want to know. Then we will see. Don't ask me about the behaviour of others. I can talk about my behaviour," the four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram asked if he was worried about the developments, Tharoor replied promptly, "Not at all".SHASHI THAROOR'S 'LOYALTY' REMARKSince the beginning of the year, Tharoor has stirred the Congress brass with his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and public endorsements of the government's political spat escalated on Sunday after Muraleedharan said Tharoor, despite being a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), was "no longer one of us"."Till he (Tharoor) changes his stance, we will not invite him to any party programme held in Thiruvananthapuram. He is not with us, so there is no question of him boycotting an event," Muraleedharan told response came after Tharoor said at an event in Kochi that the nation always came first and parties were the means of making the country Congress MP also shared a video of his response to the "inevitable question" about his alleged rift with the party."Which is your first loyalty? To my mind, the nation comes first. Parties are a means of making the nation better," he for months now, the friction between Tharoor and the Congress became more pronounced after the Kerala MP accepted the Centre's invitation to lead an all-party delegation to garner support for Operation later, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge publicly chided Tharoor without naming him, saying, "For the Congress, it is country first, but for some people, it is Modi first."- EndsMust Watch
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Who are they, what is their party position: Tharoor hits back at K. Muraleedharan
Days after Kerala Congress leader K Muraleedharan's scathing criticism of him, party MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday (July 22, 2025) asked who are these people making such remarks and what party position they hold. Also Read | Murali calls Tharoor's Modi praise 'quite disgusting' in first open attack from Kerala Mr. Muraleedharan on Sunday hit out at Mr. Tharoor again, saying that he will not be invited to any party programme in the state capital till he changes his stance on the national security issue. Mr. Muraleedharan said Mr. Tharoor, also a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, was no longer considered "one of us". Also Read | BJP questions Congress over not nominating Tharoor for delegation on Operation Sindoor Asked about the remarks, Mr. Tharoor told reporters, "First of all, it seems to me that the people saying this also have to have a basis for saying this. Who are they? What is their party's position? I would like to know." Speaking with reporters, Mr. Muraleedharan had said, "Till he (Tharoor) changes his stance, we will not invite him to any party programme held in Thiruvananthapuram. He is not with us, so there is no question of him boycotting an event." His response had come a day after Mr. Tharoor had said that the nation comes first and parties are the means of making the country better. The Congress MP had also said that a lot of people have been very critical of him because of his stand supporting the armed forces and the central government in connection with what happened recently in the country and its borders. "But I will stand my ground, because I believe this is the right thing for the country," Mr. Tharoor had said at an event in Kochi on Saturday. Mr. Tharoor had also said that when people like him call for cooperating with other parties in the interests of national security, their own parties feel that it's disloyal to them, and that becomes a big problem. Mr. Muraleedharan had earlier hit out at Mr. Tharoor over the sharing of a survey suggesting he is UDF's most preferred choice for Chief Minister, saying "he should first decide which party he belongs to".
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Who Will Blink First? Congress-Tharoor Discomfort Apparent On Day 1 Of Monsoon Session
Last Updated: During Shashi Tharoor's first meeting with party colleagues, there was a keen sense of discomfort as many of them were unhappy about his controversial comments on Operation Sindoor For Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, the first day of the monsoon session in Parliament on Monday may have felt like his first day in school. Tharoor's day began at 10.15 am with a meeting of Congress MPs to discuss party strategy during the session, which will end next month. During this meeting, however, there was a keen sense of discomfort as many of his colleagues were unhappy about his controversial comments after Operation Sindoor. This meeting, too, came a day after his viral remarks on prioritising nation over party, leading Congress leader V Muraleedharan to suggest excluding Tharoor from all party events in Kerala. According to party sources, there is no such decision yet but Tharoor knew he had once again stirred the top leadership. During the meeting, some leaders spoke to him but he remained mostly silent, they said. Outside, however, Tharoor was seen interacting with BJP leaders like Suresh Gopi, also from Kerala, and the two exchanged numbers. He met Tejaswi Surya, with whom he had been part of a delegation to the US, and Praful Patel. At one point, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi approached Tharoor and joked: 'Now that you said nation first, the Congress thinks you are joining the BJP", to which Tharoor merely smiled. The Congress seems uncertain on how to handle Tharoor. In Kerala, there is evident animosity towards him, leading to open and direct attacks. The state Congress believes his words will only benefit the CPI(M) and the BJP, which is gradually gaining ground. But the Congress central leadership is hesitant to address him. They feel that taking action against Tharoor on issues like national security would be politically damaging. In parliament corridors, there was a brief encounter between KC Venugopal and Tharoor. Venugopal is powerful and close to the Gandhis but is said to belong to a different camp than Tharoor, with whom he rarely sees eye to eye. When urged by the media, he approached Tharoor to state he had no issues with him. But attempts to take pictures together were unsuccessful. Both sides are observing and gauging each other, waiting to see who will blink first. view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 23:38 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
