I stand for Congress values, will resolve differences behind closed doors: Shashi Tharoor

India Today

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has admitted to differences with the party leadership but said he would resolve differences behind closed doors.

Transcript

00:00Breaking here, back home, Shashi Tharoor, the Congress leader, is back in Kerala,

00:05where he's admitted to differences with the Congress leadership.

00:09Tharoor says, I stand for Congress values.

00:12Tharoor says, wasn't asked to campaign for the Kerala bi-poll.

00:16And Tharoor has claimed that we will resolve differences behind closed doors.

00:20Tharoor says, only India line, there was no party line on Operation Sindhuur.

00:25In fact, Shashi Tharoor was on a flight from Tiruvananthapuram to Delhi when I spoke to him on the phone.

00:31And I began by asking Dr. Tharoor, Shashi Tharoor, there are lots of question marks after a statement that you've just made today in Kerala,

00:38suggesting or admitting, dare I say, that you do have differences of opinion with your Congress leadership.

00:45I want to understand what does this difference of opinion mean,

00:48given all that has been happening in the last few weeks with you and your Congress leadership, particularly over Operation Sindhuur.

00:55I've made it very clear, Rajiv, on that subject.

00:58I have no desire to say anything at all.

01:00Whatever differences there may be will have to be discussed behind closed doors from his colleagues.

01:05As far as I'm concerned, the institutional values of the Congress party are mine.

01:11And the party workers who have stood with me for a long time and who I have stood with,

01:17they're fighting a by-election today.

01:19And my heart and support are entirely with them.

01:21That's where I am at the moment.

01:22But you didn't go for that by-election in Nilambur, in Kerala, which took place today.

01:29Was that because you were not invited by your own party for the campaign

01:32or because Shashi Tharoor consciously chose to stay away from Kerala during this period?

01:37No, I was gone for the bulk of the time of the campaign.

01:43And as you know, on the official diplomatic mission that the government had sent some delegations on.

01:51And subsequently, yes, I mean, I wasn't asked to come.

01:54And given that I was confident our people were doing well without me,

01:59and since there was no particular request, I've fulfilled other prior commitments.

02:03But as far as I'm concerned, we have a good candidate and I hope he wins.

02:07I'm strongly supporting him.

02:08But there is this growing rift, isn't there?

02:12Particularly after Operation Sindhuur, you went on that all-party delegation,

02:16despite your party having reservations.

02:19There is these differences between you and your party leadership.

02:22You have been seen to go against the party line, in a sense.

02:25And that's why many of these questions have risen.

02:27Is Shashi Tharoor slowly and steadily drifting away and leaving the Congress sooner or later, Dr. Tharoor?

02:36It was no question of a party line.

02:38It was a question of the national line that I took,

02:40which is the line that I think all delegations,

02:43which included members from multiple parties,

02:46have all taken during their visits abroad.

02:48We had a very clear message we needed to give to the foreign countries we visited.

02:53And I think that message was very well received.

02:55It was a very clear, consistent, coherent message.

02:58And that is what the nation stood for.

03:00I have no difficulty with many opposition parties

03:03calling for the government to take them into confidence in a parliament session.

03:09But as far as the question of talking to the outside world is concerned,

03:12there is only one line and that's the national line.

03:15It's what India stands for.

03:16Simple as that.

03:18I want to go straight across to Moshmi Singh.

03:20She covers the Congress party for us.

03:22Moshmi, you've also been speaking to Dr. Tharoor

03:24and to Congress leaders here.

03:27Is there any possibility of Shashi Tharoor

03:29getting a meeting or an audience with Rahul Gandhi,

03:32whose birthday it is today?

03:34Or do you believe that slowly but surely,

03:36Shashi Tharoor is drifting away from the Congress?

03:38What are you picking up?

03:39I do believe that, Rajiv, there will be some attempts by Shashi Tharoor

03:48to reach out and speak to the party leadership

03:51because it's clearly not ready to be sidelined in Kerala

03:54in the way he did admit to you

03:56that he received no request for campaigning for the by-elections there.

04:02So, clearly, and he had told me earlier on

04:05that he would be staying in his constituency

04:08till the parliament monsoon session.

04:11But he is returning today to Delhi

04:14and thereby I do believe that with Rahul Gandhi back in Delhi,

04:18there could be an appointment sought by Dr. Tharoor.

04:22One will have to wait and see whether that appointment is given

04:26because last time round, he had to really wait very long

04:30for an appointment, an audience with Rahul Gandhi.

04:32And somewhere, you know, the General Secretary organization,

04:37KC Venu Gopal, does have a part to play the entire crisis.

04:42You know, what I want to understand,

04:43you mentioned KC Venu Gopal.

04:45Is that really the battle within a battle?

04:46KC Venu Gopal also has his eyes set on Kerala chief ministership

04:50if the Congress wins the assembly elections next year.

04:53Shashi Tharoor has been keen to play a greater role in Kerala.

04:57Is that the battle within a battle?

04:59KC Venu Gopal very close to Rahul Gandhi

05:02and Shashi Tharoor therefore realizing

05:04that his options within the Congress,

05:06even in Kerala, may be becoming less and less?

05:10Absolutely, Rajneep.

05:11I really do think that the entire trigger started

05:14with him contesting for the President's post,

05:17Congress President's post.

05:19But, you know, the entire, this relationship has got strained

05:25after the Kerala politics really rolled out

05:28and with the upcoming elections,

05:30Shashi Tharoor wants a bigger role.

05:32We are told that, you know,

05:34KC Venu Gopal could also be interested in

05:38looking for the top job in Kerala

05:40in the assembly elections.

05:43And there are mighty, multiple contenders there.

05:46And Shashi Tharoor, needless to say,

05:48says the time, feels that the time has come.

05:51He's waited for too long

05:52and he wants to play his part in Kerala politics.

05:56And that has to be one of the main lead roles.

05:59So there are multiple contenders for the lead role.

06:01One will have to wait and see

06:02that whether it will be like a clash within,

06:05a tussle within the party over that issue.

06:10Moshmi Singh, for giving us your perspective on that story.

06:12We appreciate you joining me there Moshmi Singh

06:15on the Shashi Tharoor question.

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