Latest news with #ShashiTharoor
News18
6 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
'List Included His Name, Was Invited': Congress Debunks Shashi Tharoor's 'Exclusion' Claim
Last Updated: KPCC chief Sunny Joseph denied Shashi Tharoor's claim of being excluded from the Congress star campaigners list for the Nilambur bypoll, stating his name was included. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph on Friday denied Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's claims of being left out of the party's star campaigners list for the bypoll in the Nilambur constituency in Thiruvananthapuram. Joseph also said the party had published the list officially and had submitted it to the Election Commission, and that Tharoor was abroad with the parliamentary delegation during that time. 'We had published the list and submitted it to the Election Commission," Joseph said while talking to reporters. 'The list included Shashi Tharoor's name. He was abroad most of the time, and then in Delhi. I don't know if he even came to Kerala," he added. On Thursday, Tharoor had said he has differences of opinion with some in the party leadership, but he is not going to speak about them in light of the bypoll in the Nilambur constituency. Tharoor had also claimed Congress had excluded him from its list of star campaigners. Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor, who came under attack from some party colleagues for supporting the Modi government's stand following the Pahalgam terror attack, said that the Congress, its values, and its workers are very dear to him. He said he has worked closely with party workers for 16 years and regards them as close friends and brothers. Tharoor, however, did not clarify whether his differences of opinion were with the national or state leadership. The Thiruvananthapuram MP indicated that he might talk about those differences after the bypoll results. Tharoor's remarks come at a time when the Congress has not publicly backed him, after a party leader described him as the 'super spokesperson of the BJP. Former Congress MP Udit Raj had termed Tharoor as the 'super spokesperson" of the BJP over his remarks during his international delegation visits when he allegedly said that India crossed the LoC for the first time in 2015. Responding to the same, Tharoor on Thursday termed it as a 'misconception". Defending his decision to accept the Centre's invite to head one of the delegations, Tharoor said that when he became the chairman of the External Affairs Committee of the Parliament, he had made it clear that he was focused on India's foreign policy and its national interest and not the foreign policy of the Congress and BJP. 'I have not changed my line. When an issue concerning the nation comes up, we are all obligated to work and speak for the country. What I said during 'Operation Sindoor' was my own opinion. 'The Centre asked for my services. Indeed, my party did not. So, I proudly did my duty as an Indian citizen," he said. First Published: June 20, 2025, 13:15 IST
India Today
7 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Tharoor on star campaigner list for bypoll: Congress rebuts ‘no invite' claim
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph on Friday said Shashi Tharoor was on the party's list of star campaigners for the Nilambur bypoll. Joseph's response came after the Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor said that he wasn't invited for the campaign.'We had officially published the list and submitted it to the Election Commission. It included Shashi Tharoor's name. He was abroad most of the time, and then in Delhi. I don't know if he even came to Kerala,' Sunny Joseph said. 'I have nothing more to say about this,' he other leaders came and cooperated in the election, except AK Antony,' he said, naming senior leaders like Ramesh Chennithala and Kodikunnil Suresh who joined the bypoll campaign for their candidate Aryadan Shoukath. Joseph's remarks came a day after the four-time Thiruvananthapuram MP told reporters that the party never asked him to join the Nilambur campaign. 'I wasn't invited by the party. But that's alright,' Tharoor said, adding that he had been on an official diplomatic tour abroad during most of the campaign said there was no urgency shown by the leadership after he returned either. 'When I came back there was no insistence, no missed call from the leadership saying I should come,' he added with a on Thursday, again downplayed the speculation of a rift with the Congress brass, while acknowledging 'some differences'. He had just returned from a five-nation diplomatic tour by an all-party team, which included meetings in the US after Operation the tour, his comments praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew criticism from within the Congress, especially for omitting mention of similar strikes during the UPA regime.
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
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Have differences with some in Congress: Tharoor
Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor said on Thursday that he had 'differences of opinion' with some in the party leadership and alleged that he was not invited to campaign for the byelection in Nilambur, but added that the party, its values and workers were very dear to him. Tharoor was speaking to reporters in his constituency of Thiruvananthapuram after returning to the state following engagements in the UK and Delhi. When asked why he was absent from the party's campaign in Nilambur, which went to the polling booth on Thursday, Tharoor replied, 'It is true that I was not invited (to campaign). As you know, I was abroad for around 16 days. Even then, I did not get an invite or even a missed regardless of whether I campaigned or not, I want the Congress to win in Nilambur. We have a good candidate there, and our workers have worked very hard.' The Thiruvananthapuram MP also dwelt briefly on the speculations of friction between him and the Congress leadership in the backdrop of Congress leader Udit Raj's comment that Tharoor had become a 'super spokesperson of the BJP'. 'There are some differences of opinion with the current Congress leadership. It will be good if I speak to them within the party about such issues. Today is not the day for such discussions. There is a by-election happening today. The candidate is my friend and may he win. There will be a good result,' he said. Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has faced criticism from some Congress leaders for his comments after Operation Sindoor and for accepting the Centre's invite to head one of the multi-party delegations that travelled to international capitals to present India's stance on cross-border terrorism and Pakistan. On Thursday, Tharoor defended himself. The interaction with the PM was solely regarding the delegation visits, the discussions held with leaders of foreign countries etc. It was not a venue to discuss internal politics. I have always held that there is a place for politics and another for national interests. In 2014, when I was the chief of the foreign affairs commission WHAT IS THIS? , I had said then there were only Indian national interests in my mind, not the foreign policy interests of the Congress or the BJP,' he said. 'What I said during Operation Sindoor was my personal opinion. As an Indian, I have that right. If my country needed me and if the government asked me to, I would always be ready,' he added. Nilambur fell vacant after sitting MLA PV Anvar resigned following differences with LDF leadership. The contest is between Congress's Aryadan Shoukath, CPM's M Swaraj and Mohan George of BJP. The seat recorded a provisional turnout of 73.26%. On Thursday, Congress MP from Kasaragod, Rajmohan Unnithan had said that while Tharoor's body remained with the Congress, his loyalty lay with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. State Congress chief Sunny Joseph dismissed Tharoor's statements. 'Usually during by-elections, invites are not sent out to leaders (to come and campaign). During most parts of the campaign, Tharoor was out of the state and the country. If he had come, it would have been good. But we are aware of his style of politics and his busy schedule,' Joseph said. Tharoor's name had figured in the list of star campaigners given by the Congress for the bypoll.
India Today
13 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Israel strikes Iran after hospital attack, Israeli Foreign Minister exclusive and more
In this episode of News Today, the focus is on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Israel retaliated after an Iranian missile struck a hospital in South Israel, hitting multiple nuclear sites in Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that eliminating Iran's Supreme Leader is not ruled out, while Iran claims the hospital was not a target but felt shockwaves due to its proximity to military sites. Shashi Tharoor addresses rumours of a rift with Congress leadership, stating he has no desire to comment on internal party matters. He affirms his commitment to Congress values and support for party candidates in ongoing bypolls. Tharoor explains his absence from a Kerala bypoll campaign, citing prior commitments and lack of invitation. Also on the show, watch Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's exclusive interview on the Israel-Iran war and more.
