Congress MP Shashi Tharoor‘s praises for his political rivals in Kerala had raised a storm within his party. His selfies with opponents raised eyebrows, speculations of a rift flew, and the central leadership had to resort to damage control. But the former diplomat appears to have decided not to allow such speculations anymore.
The latest instance involves a smiling selfie of Mr Tharoor with BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda on a flight. Mr Panda shared the photo last night, “mischievously” suggesting that two were travelling in the “same direction”.
“My friend & fellow traveler called me mischievous for saying that we seem to be finally travelling in the same direction,” said Mr Panda.
Read: Literary Pursuits, Not Political Options: Shashi Tharoor Clarifies Amid Row
Not willing to take a risk this time, Mr Tharoor said he was only a “fellow traveller” and would return the next morning. “Fellow traveller only to Bhubaneswar! I am addressing the Kalinga LitFest tomorrow morning. And coming right back,” said Mr Tharoor, suggesting their meeting was just a coincidence and not political.
The clarification follows a controversy surrounding Mr Tharoor’s remarks about the state’s economy that sparked speculations of a rift in the Kerala Congress. The MP had praised the LDF government’s handling of Kerala’s economy and the state’s industrial growth, which did not go down well with his party.
The Congress accused Mr Tharoor of presenting a “distorted” political practice while the politician defended himself saying he was merely highlighting the state’s progress. Mr Tharoor later backtracked on his praises after a report claimed over 42,000 MSMEs had shut down in Kerala over the past nine years.
Read: A Shashi Tharoor Selfie With Pinarayi Vijayan Days After Congress Unity Show
His remark on a podcast – that he had other “options” if his service was not needed in the Congress – threatened to escalate the rift, but he swiftly clarified that he was not talking about political options but in the context of spending time.
Days later, Mr Tharoor shared a selfie with Pinarayi Vijayan, who heads the Kerala LDF government and whose main political rival is the Congress.
The Congress tried to project unity amid the rift buzz with its central leadership sharing videos with the senior leader. A post shared by former party chief Rahul Gandhi asserted that they “stand as one” – with a photo of Mr Tharoor and other leaders.
