Page 8 - Shashi Tharoor

Left made a mistake by fielding a candidate against Tharoor: Prakash Raj

The CPI(M)-led LDF made a mistake by fielding a candidate against Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, according to actor Prakash Raj, who is known for his pro-Left political stand on various socio-political issues. Praising Tharoor as "the best-spoken Malayali and a statesman" to whom even international politicians would listen, Prakash Raj here on Monday said that the Left should not have fallen into "the trap" of the BJP, which wanted the two secular fronts to fight between each other so that they could split the votes and gain benefits. Addressing a press conference here, the actor said, "I know the Left candidate (CPI leader Pannyan Raveendran). He is a nice person and a good politician. But I think the Left made a mistake by fielding a candidate against Tharoor." He said it is important to think about the welfare of the country rather than political parties. The actor said what Tharoor has worked for over the past 15 years cannot be overlooked, and requested the voters of ...

Shashi Tharoor booked for false campaign against Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha candidate Shashi Tharoor has been booked for allegedly carrying out a false campaign against union minister and rival candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar, police said here on Sunday. The case was registered by the Cyber Police here on April 15 but its details were revealed only today. According to police, the case against Tharoor was registered based on a complaint lodged by BJP leader J R Padmakumar who accused the Congress leader of carrying out a false campaign against Chandrasekhar during a television programme. The complainant alleged that Tharoor, during the programme, had made defamatory statements against Chandrasekhar with regard to influencing voters of coastal regions in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The case was registered under Sections 171-G and 500 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 65 of IT Act, a cyber police official said adding that an investigation is going on in the matter. IPC 177-G refers to raising false statement in ...

Shivakumar, a corrupt politician, don't need his certificate: Chandrasekhar

A day after senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar questioned the contribution made by Rajeev Chandrasekhar to the development of Kerala, the BJP leader on Wednesday hit back by saying he does not need the certificate of a "corrupt" politician who is out on bail. Chandrasekhar, who is facing off against Congress' Shashi Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, said ever since he began his poll campaign, he has stated what he will do if he wins and will follow through on that. He further said in the next couple of days he would be releasing a vision document on bringing development and investment to the southern state. "Once I become an MP and a minister from here, for the next five years I will work to implement that vision document," Chandrasekhar, also the Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, told a TV channel. Regarding comments by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar against him, Chandrasekhar said everyone knows the Congress

MCC nodal officer issues warning to Shashi Tharoor over 'unverified claims'

Tharoor claimed that Chandrasekhar was offering money to voters and religious leaders in exchange for votes

Left devoting campaign to attack me, tactic can only help BJP: Tharoor

Accusing the Left of dividing anti-BJP votes in Thiruvananthapuram, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said the Left claims to be very concerned about opposition unity, but fails to address why it is devoting most of its energies in the constituency to undermining him instead of focusing on the "BJP's misrule". Tharoor, who is locked in a three-way contest with BJP leader and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, said it is ironical that the Left seeks to divide the anti-BJP vote in the parliamentary seat, and preach alliance dharma in Wayanad, from where Rahul Gandhi is contesting. In an interview with PTI, the former Union minister said that putting up a candidate against him is something the Left has done every time, and he can't criticise them for that, since he took the seat from them in the first place in 2009. "But devoting their entire campaign to attacking me is a tactic which can only help the BJP. The Left claims

LS polls: Rajeev Chandrasekhar accuses Tharoor of defamation, sends notice

Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar has sent a legal notice to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor accusing him of making defamatory statements against the BJP leader on a TV channel recently. Chandrasekhar, who is facing off against Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming polls on April 26, has alleged that the Congress MP disseminated "patently false information" regarding bribing of key voters and influential figures such as parish priests, among others, by the BJP leader. The notice has claimed that the statements by Tharoor were made with an intent to harm Chandrasekhar's reputation and image and that his remarks also disrespected the entire Christian community of Thiruvananthapuram and its leaders by accusing them of engaging in cash-for-votes activities. It has also contended that the Congress MP's statements were in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The notice also claimed that the ...

Lok Sabha polls: Union IT Minister declares Rs 680 taxable income for FY22

While filing his nomination, Rajeev Chandrasekhar declared assets valued at Rs 14.4 crore while also acknowledging liabilities of nearly Rs 19.42 crore

Oppn concern is 'Hindi, Hindutva, Hindustan' agenda, won't support: Tharoor

With BJP leader Jyoti Mirdha issuing a clarification over her "samvidhanik badlav" remark, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said the opposition's concern stems from the "Hindi, Hindutva, Hindustan" agenda of the proponents of Hindu Rashtra. The Congress had on Tuesday said that after Anantkumar Hegde, another leader of the ruling BJP, Jyoti Mirdha, openly said that the party's aim is to change the Constitution The Congress said the remark exposed the "deliberate strategy" of the BJP. Tharoor on X shared an undated video of Mirdha, the BJP candidate from Rajasthan's Nagaur in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, showing her purportedly talking about the need for the saffron party to secure a majority in both houses of Parliament to be able to make constitutional amendments. Mirdha later in a post issued a clarification saying that she made the comment in a public meeting on March 31, and that it was "unnecessarily blown out of proportion by some honourable leaders of the ...

Tharoor files nomination from Thiruvananthapuram for 4th bid in LS polls

Senior Congress leader and three-time Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor filed his nomination on Wednesday from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency for the fourth consecutive time in the Lok Sabha elections. Tharoor arrived at the district collectorate in the afternoon along with senior party leaders, including MLA M Vincent, former minister V S Sivakumar, and Thiruvananthapuram DCC president Palode Ravi, along with other workers. He shook hands with people and exchanged pleasantries while proceeding to the Collectorate complex. Some party activists draped shawls around him and expressed their support. Before filing his nomination, Tharoor offered prayers at famed shrines in the constituency, including Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple. With senior CPI leader and former Thiruvananthapuram MP Pannian Raveendran and BJP leader and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar as Tharoor's challengers in the fray, the high-profile Thiruvananthapuram constituency is set for

Alternative to PM a group of experienced leaders not driven by ego: Tharoor

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said the question of who could be an alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "irrelevant" as in a parliamentary system people are not electing an individual but a party or a coalition of parties. He said the alternative to Prime Minister Modi is a group of experienced, capable and diverse leaders who will be responsive to people's problems and not driven by individual ego. In a post on X, Tharoor said, "Yet again a journalist has asked me to identify an individual who is the alternative to Mr Modi. The question is irrelevant in the Parliamentary system." "We are not electing an individual (as in a presidential system), but a party, or coalition of parties, that represents a set of principles and convictions that are invaluable to preserve India's diversity, pluralism and inclusive growth," the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. "The alternative to Mr Modi is a group of experienced, capable and diverse Indian leaders who will b

Tharoor slams CPI, says it is supporting BJP in Thiruvananthapuram

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the CPI on Tuesday, saying that it is ironic that the Left party which complains about Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad is "playing the BJP's game" in Thiruvananthapuram. The Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram said the only effect of the CPI's campaign against him in the constituency is to divide the anti-BJP vote, "and they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad". Tharoor, who has been representing Thiruvananthapuram for the past 15 years in the Lok Sabha, is eyeing a record fourth term. He is facing BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Electronics and Information Technology. The CPI has fielded Pannian Raveendran in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat. In a post on X, Tharoor said, "It's ironic that the same @cpofindia that complains about @RahulGandhi's candidature in Wayanad is playing the BJP's game in Thiruvananthapuram." "The only effect of the CPI's

Tharoor challenges Chandrasekhar on constituency performance criticism

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor hit back at BJP's Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar on accusations of his non-performance and said that his 'ignorant rival' should first tell voters what the saffron party has done for the constituents when it was in power for the last 10 years. "I will turn the question around and ask what the BJP has done for Thiruvananthapuram in its 10 years in power. Even promises made on the floor of the Parliament have not been honoured," Tharoor told PTI here on Monday night. He said the NDA promised an AIIMS for Thiruvananthapuram, a National Institute of Ayurveda and many more. "They make promises left, right and center and they never fulfil them. That is the BJP's track record. Why should we trust any new promises from this party," Tharoor asked. However, Tharoor said he agreed with one statement of Chandrasekhar, which was that this election was not a fight between individuals. "It is a fight between ideologies. We know what we stan

BJP can get seats in two digits in Kerala if it is two zeroes: Tharoor

BJP has been wooing the Christian community, with the Prime Minister himself having met Christian religious leaders from the state multiple times, both in Delhi and Kerala, during his visit there

Shashi Tharoor awarded top French honour for deepening India-France ties

Shashi Tharoor was given the honour, also called 'Knight of the Legion of Honour' by Gerard Larcher, Chairman of the French Senate, on behalf of the President of the French Republic in New Delhi

Independent institutions being vitiated under electoral autocracy: Tharoor

While responding to a question on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Tharoor said that the public must not vote solely based on the construction of a temple but should focus on other development factor

India needs alternative leadership that understands people's needs: Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday accused the Centre of destroying India's democratic institutions and said the country is turning into an "electoral dictatorship". He also took an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said there has been talk of only one person in the last 10 years and that the country now needs an alternative leadership that will understand people's needs and find solutions to their problems. Tharoor, also an author, made the remarks during a discussion on the book titled "Audacious Hope: How to Save a Democracy" by Indrajit Roy, at the 17th Jaipur Literature Festival here. "We have a parliamentary system which is run by the President. And we should remember the Congress' slogan of 2014 -- 'Not I, We'," the Congress leader said. "However, we have heard a lot of I, my, myself in the last 10 years. There has been talk of only one person," he said without taking any name. Tharoor said the antidote of this "I" is to create a different kind of ...

Nitish's Bihar switch: Tharoor takes dig with word of the day snollygoster

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday took a swipe at JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar over his latest volte-face in Bihar, posting what he said was the word of the day snollygoster, which means a shrewd and unprincipled politician. Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA, and staked claim to form a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. Tharoor shared his social media post from 2017 when Kumar had broken away from the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress and returned to the BJP despite being foes for a long time. "Word of the day! Definition of snollygoster US dialect: a shrewd, unprincipled politician. First Known Use: 1845. Most recent use: 26/7/17," Tharoor had tweeted in 2017. Tagging that post, the former Union minister said on Sunday in a post of X, " Didn't ...

Modi shifts political agenda, failed to protect borders from China: Tharoor

Congress Working Committee member and MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of shifting the political agenda every election year and alleged that the BJP-government at the Centre was unable to protect the nation's borders from Chinese encroachment. The hard hitting accusations from the MP from Thiruvananthapuram came on the eve of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya on Monday. Tharoor said that Modi contested and won in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the name of development and in 2019 in the name of national security by ordering surgical strikes on Pakistan. But now he cannot talk of development, following the problems caused to the public due to demonetisation nor can he raise the issue of national security as the government was unable to take back territory occupied by China, Tharoor claimed. "So this time round, the only thing they have is their original cause -- Hindu Hriday Samrat. There is no doubt that would be their propaganda," he said.

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I was misinterpreted, says BJP veteran hours after praising Shashi Tharoor

Hours after he praised MP Shashi Tharoor and said it would be difficult to defeat the Congress leader from the state capital in the near future, veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal on Monday clarified that his words were misinterpreted and claimed that the saffron party will win from Thiruvananthapuram constituency in the Lok Sabha polls. Rajagopal, the former union minister who lost to Tharoor in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram, had at a function here on Monday evening said the Congress MP's ability to sway people's minds was the reason for his repeated wins from the constituency. "That is why he is able to win again and again from Thiruvananthapuram. I doubt that anyone else will get an opportunity to win (from Thiruvananthapuram) in the near future," he had said while speaking at the N Ramachandran Foundation award ceremony. Tharoor had touched Rajagopal's feet and hugged him after his speech. However, hours later, in a late night Facebook post, the veteran BJP ..