Cong livid as govt ignores its list for foreign outreach, picks Tharoor | India News

Congress leader Shashi Thaoor

NEW DELHI: On the day the Centre formally announced the composition of seven delegations of MPs to be sent to various countries to articulate India’s stance against terrorism and highlight ‘Operation Sindoor’, a row erupted Saturday over govt ignoring Congress’s recommendations on who should be included from its ranks and, instead, choosing Shashi Tharoor — whom the party did not name — to head one of the delegations.Angry at the Centre naming Tharoor and not including three of four MPs it had recommended — Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain and Raja Warring — Congress slammed the Modi govt for playing games” on a sensitive issue, and urged it not to politicise the delegations. From Congress’s list, only Anand Sharma has been picked.Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said party MPs included “at the instance of the Modi govt will, of course, go with the delegations and make their contributions”. He added, “INC will…not play partisan politics on national security issues, like BJP does.”

Sparing before show of unity

For Congress, Tharoor is a nettlesome problemHaving been shocked by the Left the last time when Pinarayi Vijayan returned to office defying the state’s tradition of ejecting incumbent govts, Congress this time would like to consolidate its leaders to be able to put up a serious challenge as the leading opposition. Support for Shashi Tharoor among some UDF allies may also deter Congress.Recent events have been marked by a growing gulf between the restive MP and Congress, and the fresh confrontation could be the point where the party and Tharoor may have to take a call on their relationship — either Congress swallows its pride and accommodates its star MP or the latter chooses to break free. In between, there exists possibility of Tharoor being an isolated member within the party: something that the Thiruvananthapuram MP must have factored in before he justified his praise for ‘Operation Sindoor’ by saying it was patriotic thing to do.On Saturday, no sooner had govt released names of seven MPs leading global outreach on ‘Operation Sindoor’, which included Tharoor, than Congress released its list of four nominees submitted to the govt for the delegations that did not include Tharoor. The Thiruvananthapuram MP, however, went ahead by announcing that he was honoured to be leading the delegation, and that he would “not be found wanting” when summoned in national interest. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh addressed the development with a jibe, “there is a difference in being in Congress and being of Congress”.It is ironic that the rumblings came barely a month after Tharoor took the central stage at the AICC session in Ahmedabad, where he was the first speaker on the political resolution introduced by Sachin Pilot. But some felt it was not so ironic after all because Tharoor in his brief speech had urged the party to be one of positivity and hope, and of solutions and not just counting problems, in what could be viewed as an advice to be prudent in picking battles against PM Narendra Modi and his party, BJP.If it comes to a breaking point after Tharoor having called his support for the govt decision over the party’s as “national interest”, Congress would be aware that BJP would use it to paint the arch rival in a negative light. Clearly, Congress has a nettlesome problem on its hands.Cong has tough call to take as rift with MP widensCongress MP Shashi Tharoor’s acceptance of the govt nomination to lead a global outreach team, coming close on the heels of his comments about the conflict with Pakistan, including a defence of Modi govt on the Pahalgam attack, and complaints at the Congress Working Committee meeting that he was straying from the party line, tantamount to daring the party, if not defying it.Congress has a lot to mull while deciding about Tharoor, crucial being the upcoming elections in Kerala where it is facing a tough challenge from the ruling Left front as well as from BJP’s bid to cut into Congress’s vote bank.‘Jealousy?’ BJP asks why Cong didn’t pick TharoorIn a democratic system, when individual MPs are sent on an official delegation, MPs should seek the concurrence of the party,” Jairam Ramesh said, calling it “dishonest” and “downright mischievous” for the govt to request nominees after possibly deciding them on its own.However, its protest lost the sting with Tharoor gladly accepting the nomination. Formerly a senior functionary with the UN, Tharoor has also served as junior external affairs minister and was recommended by Congress last year to head the standing committee on foreign affairs. “It is an honour,” he said, adding that the issue involved national interest and should not be seen through the prism of partisan politics.Significantly,Congress’s partners in INDIA alliance — DMK’s Kanimozhi and NCP’s Supriya Sule — did not turn down invitations to be part of the delegations. Other delegations will be led by Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Sanjay Jha (JDU), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Baijayant Panda (BJP).Govt had on Friday rejected Congress’s claim that it had the sole prerogative of deciding who from the party should be part of the delegations. “This has not to do with party politics,” minister for parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju is learnt to have told the Congress leadership, sources said.Congress’s stand drew an angry response from BJP. “ Congress choices to represent India at diplomatic meetings are not just intriguing — they are deeply questionable. Take, for instance, the inclusion of Syed Naseer Hussain. Let’s not forget — it was his supporter who raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans inside the Vidhana Soudha while celebrating his Rajya Sabha victory. Bengaluru police arrested three individuals in connection with the incident…,” Amit Malviya, head of party’s IT cell, said on X. He added “the less said about Gaurav Gogoi, the better”, pointing out that the deputy leader of Congress in LS had spent 15 days in Pakistan, with his departure and arrival duly logged at the Attari crossing.Malviya also said, “No one can deny Shashi Tharoor’s eloquence, his long experience as a UN official, and his deep insights on matters of foreign policy. So why has the Congress Party — and Rahul Gandhi in particular — chosen not to nominate him. Is it insecurity? Jealousy? Or simply intolerance of anyone who outshines the ‘high command’?”Tewari’s name in outreach teams list could also be a challenge for CongressAfter Shashi Tharoor, Congress may face more challenge if Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari is included in the all-party delegations that are to visit some foreign countries as part of govt’s global outreach on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Sources close to Tewari said, “If the MP’s name is included in the all-party delegations, he will surely rise to the occasion to serve his nation and go with the delegation.”Meanwhile, former Union minister Anand Sharma has received a call from govt that he would be in the delegation. He is one of the four names recommended by Congress. Sharma said, “I received a call from minister (Kiren) Rijiju and I have accepted it as the nominee of Congress.”It is learnt that former minister Salman Khurshid is likely to back out if he figures in the final list. The fourth Congress leader that govt contacted, Punjab MP Amar Singh, may also skip. Neither of the four from Congress that govt contacted are in the shortlist that Rahul Gandhi has submitted to Union minister Kiren Rijiju.