Congress MP Shashi Tharoor sparked controversy after saying he has options if the party does not need his services.
Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday dismissed the controversy around reports of rift with the Congress party after his recent podcast where he was cited saying that he had “other options” if the party does not require his services. Speaking with the reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor said he does not understand the controversy and also stated that he will be attending the party meeting scheduled for Friday.
“You all heard the podcast (Indian Express Malayalam), what was the controversy about?…I still haven’t understood the controversy…now that you have heard the whole podcast, can you tell me what your question is, I am happy to respond…it is a podcast, a 45-minute conversation about life and pursuits of Happiness, nothing there much about any political controversy…a meeting of party has been called on Friday, I will be there with everyone else,” Tharoor said,
Series of events that led to controversy
Reports of ‘everything is not fine’ between MP Shashi Tharoor and Congress sparked after he praised praised Kerala’s entrepreneurial growth under the LDF government and PM Modi upon his US and France visit. However, following the controversy and internal criticism, Tharoor clarified that he did not praise the CPI(M)-led government in Kerala, but instead highlighted the state’s progress in the startup sector.
Amid the controversy, Tharoor posted a quote by Thomas Gray on X– “Where ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise” — as the thought of the day.
Then the rumours aggravated further when Congress leader, in a podcast, said if the party no longer required his services, he had “other options,” including speaking tours and writing books. In the same podcast, he further claimed that he was the frontrunner among Congress leaders in Kerala, citing “opinion polls conducted by independent organisations”.
As the buzz continued, MP Tharoor shared a selfie with Union minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday appreciating the revival of “long-stalled FTA negotiations” with Britain.”Good to exchange words with Jonathan Reynolds, Britain’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the company of his Indian counterpart, Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The long-stalled FTA negotiations have been revived, which is most welcome,” Tharoor posted on X.
