Tharoor's applause for PM Modi and Kerala irks LoP Satheesan

Kochi, Feb 15 (IANS) Thiruvananthapuram Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's recent statements have sparked more criticism from his party colleagues than from other political leaders. On Saturday, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheesan, hinted that Tharoor is once again drifting from the party line.

Satheesan did not hold back in expressing his and the state Congress unit's displeasure with Shashi Tharoor. On Friday, Tharoor made a 'double strike' -- first, in an article in a leading English daily, he applauded the efforts of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government. Later, in Bengaluru, he told the media that the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Indian PM Narendra Modi was encouraging.

Satheesan dismissed the Modi-Trump meeting, stating, "I don’t think any good has taken place in the Trump-Modi meeting at all."

When asked about Tharoor's praise for the Vijayan government, Satheesan responded, "I do not know from where Tharoor has got these figures about the growth of MSMEs in Kerala. Many of the Kerala diaspora who return from abroad open shops, bakeries, and small ventures, but how can such ventures be accounted into the MSME figures?"

"Let the party high command look into all these issues," added Satheesan.

In his article, Tharoor highlighted that Kerala has implemented a new industrial policy focusing on knowledge-based industries, including AI, blockchain technology, and machine learning. Under the state’s "Year of Enterprises" initiative, over 2,90,000 MSMEs have been established, with significant investments and support for women and transgender entrepreneurs.

"I had been constrained to observe in the past that 'God’s own country' was the devil’s own playground for business. If that is no longer true, we all have reasons to celebrate," wrote Tharoor.

Tharoor's lack of support from state Congress leaders was evident when he decided to contest for the post of Congress president. After his loss, his inclusion in the CWC also gave a rude jolt to the anti-Tharoor camp in the party.