Tharoor takes on rivals for promoting 'lies'

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday took on his rivals for allegedly indulging in lies-based poll campaigning, and urged them to discuss only developmental and real issues.

"Campaigning on the basis of lies must stop. Let's discuss developmental and real issues, not twist words falsely to score cheap political points," he said in an oblique reference to his BJP and CPM rivals, who lambasted him on Twitter for insulting the fisherman community.

On March 29, Tharoor as a part of his election campaign visited the fish market in his constituency and interacted with the women selling fish. Following which, he tweeted: "Found a lot of enthusiasm at the fish market, even for a squeamish vegetarian MP."

Addressing media personnel here on Saturday, Tharoor said: "The opposition parties misinterpreted the post campaigning that I had insulted fishermen community."

After his post appeared, CPM workers started attacking him through social media that he had insulted the fishermen community. Later, they started campaigning against him.

"At first I thought they could not understand the word's meaning, but later I understood that they are doing it purposely to gain political points," he quipped.

He also alleged that BJP and CPM have not kept the "promises" made to fishermen community.

BJP's Trivandrum constituency candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan has also demanded an apology from Tharoor.