Tharoor praises Rahul after Delhi mtg; Thiruvananthapuram MP star campaigner in upcoming assembly polls, says Satheesan

A relieved partys state unit responded to the remarks positively on Friday, saying, He Tharoor will be in the front row of the campaign initiated by the UDF in Kerala for the elections. Describing Tharoor as a global citizen and a noted writer, Satheesan said he has a strong connection with the people.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday praised former party president Rahul Gandhi, saying he was a ''sincere'' person and a ''strong voice'' against communalism in the country, signalling bonhomie with the party leadership after his meeting with Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi to resolve differences. The thaw in relations between Tharoor and the party's top leadership also became evident with Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan asserting that the Thiruvananthapuram MP will be a star campaigner for the party-led UDF in the upcoming polls. ''I can say that I am going to be in the Congress and that I am not going anywhere. I will be part of the poll campaign (in Kerala) and will work for the victory of the UDF,'' Tharoor told reporters here. ''But, why is it that I am being asked to make such statements?'' the 69-year-old MP said, and clarified that his stand on certain issues may have been portrayed by the media as pro-BJP, but he viewed it as pro-government or pro-India. Asserting that everyone likes Rahul Gandhi as he consistently speaks out against the politics of communalism, hatred, and divisiveness in the country, he said,''I do not have a different opinion on that.'' Tharoor also said he had never agreed with any unfair criticism of Rahul, adding, ''He is a sincere leader.'' Tharoor's praise for Gandhi came amidst differences between the two. Last week, Tharoor skipped a key Kerala poll strategy meeting amid reported disappointment over being sidelined at a Kochi event by Gandhi. Sources said Gandhi named other senior leaders on stage but did not mention Tharoor, a four-time MP and CWC member, triggering fresh unease. Regarding his remarks supporting the Narendra Modi-led government during India–Pakistan tensions, Tharoor said he has made it clear in the past that, on some international matters, he prefers not to engage in politics and instead speaks from the national perspective. ''It is not something new; I have always said so,'' Tharoor said. A row had erupted last year over his comments on the India-Pakistan conflict and the diplomatic outreach after the Pahalgam attack. His comments were at variance with the Congress' stand and many party leaders took a swipe at him, questioning his intentions. Tharoor admitted that a party member should not go against the party line. ''I have always stood with the party in Parliament and therefore, there is no need to be concerned,'' he said. After meeting Kharge and Rahul to seek redress for his grievances on Thursday, Tharoor said ''all is good'' and ''we are all on the same page'', signalling a rapprochement with his party ahead of the crucial Kerala Assembly polls. A relieved party's state unit responded to the remarks positively on Friday, saying, ''He (Tharoor) will be in the front row of the campaign initiated by the UDF in Kerala for the elections.'' Describing Tharoor as a global citizen and a noted writer, Satheesan said he has a strong connection with the people. ''So, he will be at the forefront of the election campaign. He is also part of the Congress party in Kerala and will be more active in the state because of the elections. For the next two months, he will be here,'' Satheesan said. He added that the party is planning to take him to all 140 assembly constituencies in Kerala. The high-stakes Kerala Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in the next three months and are very crucial for the Congress as it seeks to wrest power from the Left, which has been in power in the state for a decade.

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