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Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Today in Politics: Can Congress, Shashi Tharoor bury the hatchet and move on?
The gap that had started widening between Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor and the Congress now looks more like a yawning chasm after the former said there were some 'differences of opinion' with some in the Congress leadership. This comes after weeks of the Congress taking potshots at Tharoor, unhappy that he had been chosen to head one of the all-party delegations that went around the world to spread the government's message on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, even though the party had not recommended him. The lack of any attempt at reconciliation became clear after the MP told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that he had not been invited to campaign for the Nilambur bypoll. He also mentioned the 'misunderstandings' between the party and him and how, when he was abroad, 'they engaged in arguments without understanding what I had said'. While he was in Panama during the multi-nation tour, Tharoor had riled his party by claiming that the Army had breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan for the first time to 'conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launch pad… (after) the Uri strike in September 2016' and that it was 'something we had not done before'. The Congress hit back, reminding Tharoor about surgical strikes under the UPA government and suggesting that the BJP should name him 'super spokesperson'. Before he went on the tour, the Congress had been unhappy about his public comments since Operation Sindoor, and, in one instance, said he had crossed the 'lakshman rekha (red line)'. But what options do the two sides have? Though the Congress attributed the lack of invitation to him for campaigning in Nilambur to a 'communication gap', the party may have to take a call, sooner rather than later, on whether it wants this situation to continue or if rapprochement is possible. In one of her columns last month, Neerja Chowdhury noted the pitfalls of taking action against Tharoor. 'Action against him at this juncture could queer the pitch for the party in Kerala where elections are due next year. It is the one state the Congress has been confident of winning … Tharoor, who has called for a bipartisan approach on security issues, has carved out a niche for himself in the last few years that goes beyond the Congress. He has a following amongst the intelligentsia, the professional classes, and the youth.' Letting the sense of antagonism fester also reflects poorly on the party, which seems to be caught in a Catch-22. Tharoor will also have to evaluate the choices before him. Floating a new party is way beyond difficult, and joining the BJP will likely dent his image in the liberal intelligentsia constituency. On Thursday, he categorically ruled out joining the ruling party and said, 'Let the Congress reveal their thoughts about me.' PM Modi in Bihar, Odisha Prime Minister Narendra Modi will head to Bihar for the fourth time this year. He will be in Siwan, where he will inaugurate the new Vaishali-Deoria railway line project and flag off a new train service on the route. In a boost for connectivity in north Bihar, the PM will also flag off a Vande Bharat Express train between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. Modi will then flag off a locomotive built at a plant in Marhaura in Saran district for export to the Republic of Guinea. This is the first export locomotive manufactured in this factory. The PM will also inaugurate six sewage treatment plants under the Namami Gange project, launch several other projects related to water supply and power infrastructure, and release the first instalment of the PM Awas Yojana (Urban) to more than 53,600 beneficiaries. He will also hand over keys to a few beneficiaries to mark the 'grih pravesh' ceremony of more than 6,600 completed houses. Modi will then head to Bhubaneswar, where he will launch multiple development projects and release the Odisha Vision Document on the BJP-led state government's roadmap for the next 11 years, when the state will celebrate its centenary. What will be the most closely tracked are the PM's speeches at public events in both these places. Why Amit Shah is in Bengaluru Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Bengaluru on Thursday night, and Friday morning, he will inaugurate Adichunchanagiri University's Bengaluru campus. The university is linked to the Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math, a monastery in Karnataka's Mandya district. — With PTI inputs
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
President strangelove
Times of India's Edit Page team comprises senior journalists with wide-ranging interests who debate and opine on the news and issues of the day. Even by realpolitik standards, US loving terror sponsor Pak is a new low. India should assume worse will come Trump saying 'I love Pakistan' must be understood both in the historical and current context of US policy. That America's president is proclaiming love for a country widely known for funding, training, and protecting terrorists links back to decades of Washington policy. America has long perfected a kind of doublespeak when it comes to Pakistan-sponsored terror. Americans chose to unsee even the fact that Islamabad gave sanctuary to 9/11's architect bin Laden. Or that 26/11, which claimed American victims, was an ISI op. Now, with Israel's war on Iran, and some American strategists advocating Israeli-US bombing runs, Washington's 'realpolitik' argument would run like this: Pakistan is the only Islamic nation with nuclear weapons, it has so far backed Tehran with which it shares a 909-km border, and Beijing has a key presence in all matters Pakistan, therefore, keeping Islamabad happy makes sense. That Trump met and dined with jihadi-in-uniform Munir reinforces the point that US sees Pakistan as a tool of war. Sure, nation-states are expected to operate in national interest. Despite West's pressure, New Delhi stayed the course on buying oil from Moscow, the aggressor in the other war. But Russia, however unlovely Putin's regime is, isn't a terror sponsor. Only a few countries use terrorism as a strategic tool – Pakistan is one of them, and its target, as even Trump should know, is India. Therefore, 'loving Pakistan' and supping with its field marshal, who's a radical religious fundamentalist, isn't the same as India buying Russian oil. More so since, reportedly, Trump is offering Munir 'weaponry' in return for airspace access into Iran. Modi did well to tell Trump India won't brook any mediation. But New Delhi will have to assume things can get worse. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Shashi Tharoor Excluded From Congress's Nilambur Campaigners List, Says He 'Wasn't Invited'
Last Updated: Shashi Tharoor has been excluded from the party's star campaigners list for the Nilambur by-poll, reportedly after he alleged he wasn't invited to campaign. Congress has reportedly excluded MP Shashi Tharoor from its list of star campaigners for the by-poll for the Nilambur Assembly constituency in Kerala. The development, according to media reports, came after Tharoor alleged he was not invited by his party to campaign in Nilambur. The Congress MP had publicly expressed displeasure, explaining why he did not go for the election campaign there. 'In Wayanad, there was a sign of campaigning for Priyanka (Gandhi). It is true that there are some differences of opinion with the present Congress leadership, but responding more will not put the party in crisis on election day," Tharoor was quoted as saying. 'I was not invited by the party for campaigning, but that's alright, because I too, at that time, was abroad," he said, referring to his delegation's visit to significant world capitals to highlight India's stand against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. 'I want to wish our candidate only the best. I have known him for a long time personally. The congress cadres who went from Trivandrum informed me the campaign was good," Tharoor said. Voting in the by-poll for the Nilambur Assembly constituency in Kerala commenced at 7 am on Thursday. Polling commenced amidst tight security arrangements, including the deployment of central security forces and police, along with live monitoring of the by-election process through an extensive webcasting system. People began arriving early in the morning at the 263 polling booths across the constituency, which has over 2.32 lakh voters who will elect their representative from among 10 candidates. Among the 10, the key contenders are ruling LDF pick M Swaraj, Aryadan Shoukath (Congress-led UDF), Trinamool Congress state convener and independent candidate PV Anvar and Mohan George of the BJP-led NDA. The by-election was necessitated after Anvar resigned as MLA of the constituency following his severing of ties with the CPI(M)-led LDF over certain allegations by him against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his close aides. First Published: June 19, 2025, 14:35 IST
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
PM sets record straight on Trump's ceasefire claims in 35-minute call, Trump to host Pak Army chief, more
In a 35-minute phone conversation, Prime Minister Modi clarified to US President Trump that America had no role in brokering the India-Pakistan ceasefire. PM Modi outlined the timeline of events leading to the ceasefire, emphasising it was a direct result of Pakistan's request. The call aimed to counter Trump's repeated claims of mediating between India and Pakistan. Modi declined Trump's invitation for a White House stopover but extended an invitation for Trump to visit India for the Quad summit. Meanwhile, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is set to meet US President Donald Trump for a private lunch at the White House. This comes shortly after Trump's call with Indian PM Modi on terrorism. The meeting raises questions about US stance on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and its strategic interests in the region amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel. The timing and nature of this high-level engagement with Pakistan's military leadership has sparked debate in India.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
World supports India's stand against Pak terrorism: MP
Amalapuram (Konaseema District): Amalapuram MP Ganti Harish Madhur has stated that the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam was universally condemned, and India's retaliatory move Operation Sindoor has received widespread support from the international community. He was part of an all-party delegation led by Congress MP Dr Shashi Tharoor that visited the United States, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia with the dual objectives of highlighting Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and explaining the necessity of Operation Sindoor. Returning to Amalapuram after the international visit, MP Harish addressed a press meet at Satyanarayana Gardens. He said that all the countries visited by the delegation extended complete support to India's anti-terror operations. According to Harish, in New York, the delegation paid homage at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, commemorating the victims of the Al-Qaeda attack on the World Trade Centre. Harish added that US Vice-President James David Vance expressed unequivocal support for India's stance on terrorism during their meeting. In Guyana, the team met with former President and current Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who showed strong empathy toward India's concerns about terrorism. The delegation also met with Panama's President José Raúl Mulino and briefed him on the brutal terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam and the objectives behind Operation Sindoor. Mulino expressed full support for India's firm anti-terror policy. In Colombia, Indian delegates explained the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack and the necessity of India's retaliatory action. Harish mentioned that, following the meeting, the Colombian government withdrew a social media post that had earlier offered condolences for casualties in Pakistan acknowledging the revised understanding of the situation. MP Harish stated that the diplomatic engagements held in all five countries, between May 24 and June 5, resulted in solid international backing for India's efforts to counter terrorism. Reaffirming that Operation Sindoor was a meticulously planned mission with zero civilian casualties, Harish extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for allowing him to represent India's voice on the global stage.
