Congress Mouthpiece Slams Tharoor, Calls His Praise for Kerala’s Growth a ‘Political Betrayal’

GG News Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram, 18th Feb. Congress-backed daily Veekshanam has published a scathing editorial targeting party leader Shashi Tharoor—without naming him—for his recent remarks on Kerala’s entrepreneurial growth under the Left government. The piece urged him not to betray party workers’ expectations ahead of the upcoming local body elections.

The editorial asserted that Kerala is witnessing an anti-incumbency wave, and any attempt to downplay it is a “distorted” political practice. It came just a day after Tharoor clarified that he had not praised the CPI(M)-led government but had merely highlighted the state’s startup sector progress. However, Veekshanam appeared to dismiss his explanation.

Titled “Ahimsa Award for the Executioner?”, the editorial warned that undermining Congress’s electoral prospects could prove “suicidal.” It accused the CPI(M) of making Kerala a “graveyard” for industries while questioning what the present Industries Minister, P. Rajeeve, had achieved compared to his predecessors.

Additionally, the article criticized Tharoor for his past positive remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s U.S. visit, calling it a mere political spectacle. While the CPI(M) welcomed Tharoor’s comments, Kerala Congress leaders, including KPCC chief K. Sudhakaran, accused the Left of inflating enterprise data—though he avoided naming Tharoor directly.

The controversy has deepened divisions within Kerala Congress, with party leaders wary of its impact on the upcoming elections.