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Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 26 (IANS) Two-time Congress MP from Kasaragod Rajmohan Unnithan on Wednesday issued a sharp warning to party colleague Shashi Tharoor, saying the Thiruvananthapuram MP should stop sending mixed signals about his political loyalties.
“Shashi Tharoor should not imagine that he can walk out of the Congress wearing a martyr’s garb. If he wants to go, he is free to do so – no one is stopping him,” Unnithan told IANS.
Unnithan said the Congress has always given Tharoor “more than due respect, position and visibility”, but accused him of repeatedly embarrassing the party, especially in Kerala.
“Instead of strengthening the party, he keeps making statements that put the Congress in a difficult position. His frequent praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, openly and repeatedly, can no longer be ignored,” he said.
Pointing out that the Congress is engaged in a nationwide fight against the BJP, Unnithan questioned how one of its own MPs could “glorify Modi’s speeches and call them ‘culturally appealing’ and ‘economically visionary'”.
“This is not acceptable. By doing this he weakens the Congress, especially at a time when we are trying to build a strong narrative in Kerala,” he said.
Unnithan stressed that the Congress values democracy and internal debate, but it “does not believe in supporting the BJP or its ideology”.
“If Tharoor wants to help Modi build his image, let him announce it openly. The party will not tolerate this silent, shadow war any longer,” he said.
Unnithan, known for his sharp tongue, first met veteran Congress leader K. Came into limelight after separation from Karunakaran. His fiery speeches also led him to a brief stint in the Malayalam film industry.
Although he lost his first election to CPI(M) stalwart Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in Tellicherry, he surprised many by winning the Kasaragod Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and retaining it in 2024.
According to Unnithan, Tharoor often talks about building an India “where rivals cooperate and stand together”, but he argued that Congress cannot be expected to “whitewash the politics of the BJP”.
He warned, “Every time he praises Modi or questions the stand of the Congress, he sends a wrong message to the people of Kerala. This will have serious consequences in a politically conscious state like ours.”
He urged the Congress high command to take cognizance of the situation: “Silence is no longer an option. Constant praise of Modi from within the Congress cannot be dismissed as intellectual freedom or personal opinion. This is a political message. And if it hurts the party, it is our responsibility to take action.”
“Let it be clear: Shashi Tharoor is not bigger than Congress,” Unnithan said.
–IANS
SG/SKP