THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though disgruntled with Shashi Tharoor for his open praise of the Left government, the Congress is unlikely to initiate any disciplinary action against the Thiruvananthapuram MP.
The high command is unhappy with Tharoor praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the state leadership is up in arms against him for his article in The New Indian Express that praised the LDF government for its handling of the state’s industrial climate.
However, the party feels taking action against Tharoor or seeking explanation from him at this point would not be prudent in the long run. The leadership does not want the controversy to grow to disproportionate dimensions.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and KPCC chief K Sudhakaran called up Tharoor and conveyed the party position and asked him to stick to the party line.
Sudhakaran told reporters that he had spoken to Tharoor and gave him the “right advice.”
“Shashi Tharoor expressed his opinion. Individuals can have opinions. But party decision is official line,” he said. On senior leader M M Hassan asking Tharoor to step down from the Congress Working Committee, Sudhakaran said it’s for the high command to take such a call.
It’s learnt the state leadership informed Tharoor that the statistics based on which he formulated his opinions were incorrect. It also feels Tharoor should not have made such an observation at a time when the party is trying to take on the Left government. However, since he has clarified his position, there is no need to act against the MP, it feels.
“Being an author and columnist, he expressed his opinion on a matter. When the party said it has a different view, Tharoor somewhat corrected his position, acknowledging the contributions of Oommen Chandy and P K Kunhalikutty. Now, action is unlikely against him,” said a senior leader.
Some feel Tharoor was trying to bolster his progressive image.
