New Delhi: A photograph of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor with Union Minister of Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal has added yet another dimension to the ongoing controversy regarding the Thiruvananthapuram MP’s alleged strained relations with the Congress.
All of this started after it came to light that Tharoor has asked Rahul Gandhi to specify his (Tharoor’s) exact role in the party.
The selfie shared by Tharoor on his official ‘X’ handle on Tuesday also featured British Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds.
“Good to exchange words with Jonathan Reynolds, Britain’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the company of his Indian counterpart, Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal. The long-stalled FTA negotiations have been revived, which is most welcome,” the Congress MP wrote.
Tharoor, who has served as under secretary in the UN for nearly five years, shares cordial relations with several leaders of the ruling BJP and other political parties. The fact that he is also the chairman of the Committee on External Affairs in Parliament, gives him access to negotiations between India and other nations.
After Tharoor’s query to Rahul, and the latter’s refusal to take up any of his grievances and suggestions, a section of political observers had wondered if the 68-year-old four-time MP was feeling a bit stifled in the Congress. Some believed that Tharoor was starting to feel that his capabilities are not being appreciated enough by his party.
Tharoor had recently created a buzz by penning an article on the efforts being made by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala to bring in industrialisation and promote start-ups. Congress leaders did not appreciate this, though Tharoor stood firm on his opinion.
When asked, the MP said: “I have no issues with any of the leaders of the state. If they have issues, let them decide whether those have been solved or not.”
Denying that he has ever complained against any leader of his party to the high command, Tharoor had defended his article that praised the LDF for its investor friendly policies and programmes.
“The article seems to have done some good. It has opened a scope for discussion on the subject. For the last 16 years, I have been talking about the migration of the youth from Kerala to other countries due to unemployment and the need for startups and promotion of entrepreneurship in the state,” he said.
Tharoor added: “My article was not based on any CPI(M) document, but the global startup ecosystem report and the ‘ease of doing business’ report of the Centre. If there is a more reliable source, I am ready for correction.”
