NEW DELHI: The ongoing tension between the Congress and Shashi Tharoor sharpened further after another party MP took a swipe at the Trivandrum MP, remarking that he was “not a big part” of Congress. The rift has been in focus as Tharoor skipped a crucial poll-related party meeting in Kerala, opting instead to attend the Kerala Literature Festival. Responding to media reports on the discord, Tharoor said that while some of the claims were true, he would prefer to convey his views within the party.”Shashi Tharoor is not a big part. Nahi dikhe toh nahi dikhe, aisa kuch hai nahi (It’s not like it matters if he wasn’t seen; there’s nothing to it),” Congress MP Imran Masood said on Saturday. Speaking to reporters on the rift earlier in the day, Tharoor said that such “matters should not be discussed on public platforms”, adding that he would prefer to “convey concerns directly to the party leadership”. “It is better to convey concerns directly to the party leadership. Several things have appeared in the media, some of which may be true while others may not be, and that such matters should not be discussed on public platforms. I had informed the party in advance that I would not be attending the programme and whatever I have to say will be said within the party,” he said.”I have nothing to say about the Ernakulam controversy. I had wished to release book at the event, but the book launch at the Jaipur Literature Festival had to be postponed due to political commitments. This is the reason I chose to attend the event in Kozhikode,” he added. He also defended his stance on Operation Sindoor which went against the Congress party’s positions.”I have at no stage violated any of the Congress’ positions in Parliament; the only issue on which there has been public disagreement on principle is about Operation Sindoor where I did take a very strong stand, and I remain unapologetic about that,” he said speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival.The senior Congress leader gave a key party meeting a miss on Friday, skipping consultations with the state leadership and the AICC high command as the Kerala assembly elections approach. The absence drew sharp reactions from within the party, with leaders such as Sandeep Dixit questioning the Thiruvananthapuram MP’s relevance to the Congress.
