THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shashi Tharoor MP is emerging big in the state Congress over his controversial remark on Hindu- Pakistan. A few days ago, Tharoor had made a scathing attack on the BJP, saying if the NDA comes back to power in 2019, the country will be converted into a theocratic state — a Hindu Pakistan.
A controversy erupted with the BJP and its affiliates coming out against Tharoor. But he stood his ground stating the BJP’s ideals are poised for converting the country into a theocratic state. AICC spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala decried Tharoor’s statement and since then no national leader has commented on it. However, the state Congress lent support to Tharoor with leaders from V M Sudheeran to Ramesh Chennithala voicing their opinion in his favour. Matters turned worse after members of BJP affiliate Janata Yuva Morcha barged into Tharoor’s local office and blackened the premises with engine oil. The flex board depicting Tharoor’s face was also blackened and this catapulted the support to Tharoor.
The Congress leader lashed out against the BJP and said the party was afraid of open debates and is physically trying to assault him. He promptly lodged a complaint to the police stating that he needs protection and that his life is in danger. Tharoor made a mountain out of a molehill and the BJP walked into the trap. However, politically this move had upped the stakes of Shashi Tharoor to the big league of Congress politics in Kerala.
Tharoor’s statement has also resulted in several minority groups supporting him and this is exactly what he wanted. Tharoor also wanted to set aside the general feeling in the state Congress that he is a pushover given his lack of grassroot support and has carefully tried to reinvent himself. He wanted to make sure he has a constituency and wanted to take the BJP head on as he knows that would endear him to both the minority communities of the state. A senior leader of the Congress party said Tharoor is a mediocre politician but this was a masterstroke and has got a solid vote bank for himself.