GG News Bureau
Kannur, 14th Jan. Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress leader, said on Saturday that he would continue to work and meet people as he has for the past 14 years.
His remarks come a day after a slew of party leaders attacked his decision to switch to state politics.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP stated that he attends programs across the state because he receives so many invitations from various sources, and that this is nothing unusual because other politicians do the same.
“Let anyone tell anything…I am doing my work…whatever anyone says, I have no issue,” he told reporters here when asked about recent statements by some Congress leaders without naming him.
The leader stated that what he is doing now is the same as what he has been doing for the last 14 years, and that whenever he receives invitations from the public, he will choose programs and attend them according to his convenience.
Senior leader Ramesh Chennithala was among those who made veiled attacks on Tharoor during a party event in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
In response to Tharoor’s reported willingness to run as the Congress party’s Chief Ministerial candidate in the next Assembly election in 2026, Chennithala said, “If someone has stitched a coat for the CM post, they should be ready to leave it behind and work for the success of the party in the upcoming parliamentary elections.”
He also stated that no one should declare what position they intend to hold in the next four years.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal expressed displeasure with party leaders publicly disclosing their political ambitions, saying that everything should be discussed within party forums and urged leaders not to give the media any opportunity to debate such matters.
KPCC chief K Sudhakaran also stated that no one should choose a post or constituency for the upcoming assembly elections on their own.
When reporters asked if Chennithala’s “CM coat” remark was directed at him, Tharoor stated that he had not stitched any coat for the top post.
“Our Chief Ministers usually don’t wear coats…I do not know who stitched the coat and when…You (media) should ask the question to those who made such statements…not to me,” he said in a lighter manner.
The leader’s remarks came at a time when the Congress party was divided over his outreach to influential religious and community leaders.
Earlier this week, Congress central leadership clarified that it was inappropriate for any MP to make statements about their candidacy, and that the party has its own organizational mechanism for selecting candidates.
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