Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday conceded that he has differences with certain members of the party leadership, but refused to enumerate them in public before the Nilambur assembly bypoll in Kerala.
Addressing journalists, Tharoor asserted his loyalty to the Congress, its values and its party workers. "I have been associated with the Congress party for the last 16 years. The party, its values, and its workers are close to my heart. I consider them as friends and brothers," he said, as reported by news agency.
Tharoor, however, conceded that all is not well in the leadership of the party. "I do have differences of opinion with some in the Congress leadership. You know what I am referring to, as some of those issues are public and have been reported by you," he said in the media.
The senior leader and member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) did not clarify if his differences were with the national or the state unit leadership. He said he might open up more after the bypoll results are declared.
Responding to a query, when he was not present at the Nilambur campaign, Tharoor said that he was not invited to attend, as had been the case in earlier byelections, such as the Wayanad election last year.
"I do not go where I am not invited," he told this newspaper, while wishing good luck to United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Aryadan Shoukath.
Nilambur bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of Left Democratic Front (LDF) independent MLA PV Anvar, who subsequently joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) following a public rift with the ruling coalition.
UDF candidate Shoukath is optimistic of winning, berating the LDF government on dealing with local problems. "There will be a good victory in this election. The state government has ignored Nilambur for the past nine years. Even many tribals have not been rehabilitated. There is also very serious human-animal conflict here," he told the orher agency.
Tharoor also spoke about recent rumor-mongering regarding his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, explaining that the talks were all about the government's Operation Sindoor programme and its external aspects.
"No domestic politics were discussed," he added.
He stood up for accepting the Centre's invitation to head a parliamentary delegation overseas. "When I became chairman of the External Affairs Committee, I said I was committed to India's foreign policy, not the foreign policy of the Congress or BJP," Tharoor said.
I have not deviated from my line. When there is an issue of national interest, we all are obligated to speak and act on behalf of the nation. The Centre requested my services—my party didn't. So, I did my duty as an Indian citizen with pride," he stated.
Follow us
