New Delhi: A rift within the Congress party has widened after senior leader K. Muraleedharan declared that Shashi Tharoor would not be invited to any Congress programmes in Thiruvananthapuram unless he changes his position on national security.
Muraleedharan’s sharp remarks come in response to Tharoor’s recent comments supporting India’s armed forces and the central government over Operation Sindoor, the military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Tharoor had stated, “The nation comes first; political parties are merely tools to serve the country.”
Reacting strongly, Muraleedharan said, “He (Tharoor) is not with us. So there’s no question of him being boycotted—he will simply not be invited. Unless he changes his stance, he will not be part of any Congress events in Thiruvananthapuram.” He further added that the party’s national leadership will decide what disciplinary action, if any, should be taken against Tharoor, who remains a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member.
Tharoor, who recently led a multi-party delegation to world capitals to present India’s position on terrorism, defended his stand, saying he would not back down despite criticism from within his party. “I will stand my ground because I believe this is the right thing for the country,” Tharoor said at an event in Kochi on July 19.
He also addressed internal backlash, stating that those who advocate for cross-party cooperation on national security are often accused of disloyalty by their own parties—a dilemma he openly acknowledged.
This is not the first time Muraleedharan has publicly criticized Tharoor. In the past, he condemned Tharoor for sharing a survey suggesting he was the UDF’s preferred CM candidate, and for an article critical of Indira Gandhi’s Emergency published in a Malayalam daily. Muraleedharan has repeatedly urged Tharoor to “choose a clear political path” if he feels restricted within the Congress.
The ongoing discord highlights deepening divisions within the party, particularly over issues of national security and leadership direction ahead of key elections.
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