Shashi Tharoor 'unhappy' with Congress leadership, claims JD-U

New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS) JD-U leader K. C. Tyagi on Saturday claimed that senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is "unhappy" with the current state of his party, amid growing speculation of an internal rift following Tharoor's recent remarks.   

Tharoor had reportedly asked Rahul Gandhi to clarify his role within the party during a recent discussion in Delhi, expressing frustration over being sidelined. According to sources, Rahul Gandhi had no clear response to his concerns.

Speaking to IANS, Tyagi said, "Shashi Tharoor is unhappy with the political narrowness that has arisen in the Congress party."

"Praising other political outfits in a particular context is not anti-party activity. This has happened on many occasions before as well, and I completely agree with Shashi Tharoor," he added.

Tharoor, a four-time MP, has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the Congress leadership, both at the state and national levels.

His recent article in an English daily praising the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government in Kerala and acknowledging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit stirred controversy within his party.

His remarks triggered criticism from Congress leaders in Kerala, while CPI-M welcomed them as a validation of its governance. Chief Minister Vijayan seized the moment, terming Tharoor's comments as recognition of his administration's achievements.

Despite growing backlash from party colleagues, Tharoor has denied making any formal complaints about being sidelined.

"I have never made any complaint against anyone," he stated.

Earlier, responding to criticism over his article on Kerala's startup sector, Tharoor took to Facebook, expressing surprise over the controversy.

"As a Member of Parliament from Kerala, I wrote this article focusing on a specific issue -- the transformation of the industrial landscape through the growth of the startup sector. As a Congress worker, I take pride in acknowledging that it was former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who initiated this change," he wrote in Malayalam.

He credited Chandy's policies for laying the foundation for Kerala's startup ecosystem, citing initiatives like the Startup Village and the Kerala Startup Mission, which have been continued by the current government.

Tharoor's growing rift with the Congress leadership comes ahead of crucial political battles, raising questions about his future in the party.