Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday took a strong objection to recent reports on his meeting with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi.
While speaking on the meeting, which took place in Kharge’s chamber in the Parliament House complex, Tharoor rubbished “fanciful accounts” of what was discussed in the meeting and said the “only comments have been those made publicly”.
“I have been reading fanciful accounts of who said what in my meeting with @INCIndia President @kharge and Lok Sabha LoP @RahulGandhi. Let me stress that there were only three of us in the room, and none of us has spoken to the media in such detail,” Tharoor said in a post on X.
“My only comments have been those made publicly; everything else is sheer speculation. I deplore this kind of irresponsible journalism, which gives authentic reporting a bad name,” he added.
Tharoor’s clarification comes after several reports claimed that the meeting was sought by Tharoor over “growing dissatisfaction” over what it claimed was the Congress MP’s “lack of recognition” and “political space” within the party.
The meeting between Tharoor, Kharge and Gandhi lasted for over an hour and forty-five minutes in the Parliament House complex. The meeting comes amid speculations of soured relations between Tharoor and Congress leadership.
Earlier in the day, Tharoor reiterated that he is in the Congress and not going anywhere. Speaking of Rahul Gandhi, Tharoor said he is the leader “who opposes communalism.”
“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, according to PTI.
Tharoor’s past comments on meeting Kharge, Gandhi
After concluding the meeting with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, Tharoor said he had a constructive and positive discussion.
“We had a discussion with my two party leaders, the LoP and the Congress President. We had a very good, constructive, positive discussion. All is good and we are moving together on the same page. What more can I say,” Tharoor told reporters.
On the question of whether the chief ministerial face for Kerala polls was discussed, Tharoor said that the CM candidature was never an issue.
“I am not interested in being the candidate for anything. At the moment I am already an MP, I have the trust of my voters from Thiruvananthapuram. I have their interest to look after in Parliament, that is my job,” he said.
The meeting comes ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls, scheduled to be held this year, which are crucial for the Congress as it seeks to wrest power from the Left after 10 years in the opposition.
Last week, Tharoor had skipped a key party meeting for the upcoming Kerala polls. Reports said Tharoor was upset over Rahul Gandhi not properly acknowledging his presence at a recent event and repeated attempts by state leaders to “sideline” him.
