Amid Congress rift talk, Tharoor posts pic with BJP leader
What's the story
Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has posted a photograph on X with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and British Secretary of State for Trade Jonathan Reynolds. The image was clicked after a discussion on the India-United Kingdom trade deal. In his post, Tharoor expressed hope for the revival of long-stalled Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. This comes amid speculation about his Congress future after he praised Kerala's ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front government.
Twitter Post
Tharoor's post on X
Good to exchange words with Jonathan Reynolds, Britain’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the company of his Indian counterpart, Commerce & Industry Minister @PiyushGoyal. The long-stalled FTA negotiations have been revived, which is most welcome pic.twitter.com/VmCxEOkzc2
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 25, 2025
Party criticism
Tharoor's praise for Kerala government sparks controversy
Tharoor's praise for the LDF government in Kerala drew criticism from his party. The Congress-led United Democratic Front, the principal opposition in the state, condemned his comments. Veekshanam Daily, a Congress-affiliated publication in Kerala, called Tharoor's actions "suicidal" and accused him of weakening the party from within at a time when the party was critiquing the failures of the LDF government.
Clarification and criticism
Tharoor clarifies his comments, faces criticism for praising Modi
In the wake of the backlash, Tharoor clarified he was only highlighting Kerala's progress in the startup sector and didn't specifically praise the CPI(M). He also faced flak for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi after United States President Donald Trump called Modi a "much tougher negotiator." Defending his remarks, Tharoor said, "We cannot always speak only in terms of the party's interest."
Dissatisfaction and removal
Tharoor expresses dissatisfaction, removes controversial poster
Reportedly, Tharoor complained to Rahul Gandhi about being sidelined in the party and being removed from charges of All India Professional Congress. He also deleted a controversial poster from Facebook, which called CPI(M) members "cannibals," after sharing it. Amid the controversies and speculations of a rift in the Congress, Tharoor had said, "If the party wants me... I will be there. If not, I have my own things to do."