THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the Congress high command not recommending his name to be part of the multi-party delegations being deployed by the Union government for diplomatic outreach, Shashi Tharoor, MP, has decided to be a part of the same. The senior Congress leader has informed his decision to the Centre and the Congress leadership. Meanwhile, with the high command taking a stern stance, the Tharoor camp has taken a wait-and-watch approach.
According to sources in the BJP national leadership, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who insisted that Tharoor lead the first delegation. When Union Minister Kiren Rijiju called Tharoor on Thursday, he conveyed to the MP that since he is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs and had worked in the US for many years, he should lead the delegation. When the Congress leadership submitted a list of leaders excluding Tharoor, the government took a strategic position that it is within the power of the government to name the chairman of the committee. The government has told Congress that the party could nominate the members of the delegation.
“The delegation will visit the United States, Brazil (as a member of BRICKS), and other South American countries that are members of the UN Security Council. India wants the delegation to take these countries into confidence in case Pakistan decides to move any resolution in the Security Council. How can an MP or an Indian citizen say ‘No’ to this responsibility? Let the high command take its decision. Certain leaders are trying to silence him and other working committee members so as to hijack the organisation,” a leader close to Tharoor told TNIE.
Meanwhile, the fallout between Tharoor and the high command reached a boiling point as the latter has decided to act tough against its four-time Thiruvananthapuram MP.
The AICC leadership has asked the Kerala party to tread cautiously as Tharoor has a huge fan following across the political sphere. According to sources in the high command, Rahul Gandhi is unhappy with Tharoor’s decision to be part of the delegation.
“There is a growing opinion in the national leadership that enough is enough as far as Tharoor’s breaching of party discipline is concerned. The AICC decided to drop Tharoor’s name after Kiren Rijiju conveyed the Centre’s decision to appoint Tharoor to lead the team without consulting it. “For some time, the Congress leadership has been watching Tharooor’s ‘soft corner’ towards Modi and the BJP government. This cannot go on indefinitely. The BJP is trying to project Tharoor as a leader taller than Rahul Gandhi, and he is quite enjoying it,” sources alleged.
The KPCC leadership has instructed leaders not to come out with any open statements against Tharoor. The state Congress has put the ball in the high command’s court. However, among a majority of state leaders, there is apprehension about the repercussions of any disciplinary action against Tharoor.