Tharoor in Cong line of fire

Thiruvananthapuram: Discontent is brewing in Congress’ Kerala unit over MP Shashi Tharoor’s reluctance to sign a letter prepared by the MPs from the party-led UDF alliance to the Centre against the state government’s semi-high speed rail corridor and his open praise of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his “investment-friendly” initiatives.

On some issues it is necessary to put political differences aside, an unfazed Tharoor on Thursday said in a tweet, sharing a photo with the CM. Veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Congress president Mullappally Ramachandran on Friday flayed the Thiruvananthapuram MP saying that he should learn party discipline, while Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan said the Congress will examine Tharoor’s stand and take an appropriate decision.

While attending a programme in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, Shashi Tharoor praised Pinarayi, saying he, as an administrator, was trying to change the impression that the state was not investment-friendly.

The statement came days after he refused to sign a letter prepared by the UDF MPs against the multi-crore Silver Line rail corridor linking the north and south ends of Kerala, a flagship project of the Left government. “Shashi Tharoor may be an internationally renowned person, writer or an orator. But, he has to learn the principles and discipline of the Indian National Congress. It is not right to go forward without learning that,” Ramachandran said. —(PTI)