DYFI invites Shashi Tharoor to its startup festival amid row over article remarks

New Delhi: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI (M) on Wednesday invited senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to attend its upcoming youth startup festival, scheduled to be held in Kerala's capital next month.

The Left outfit extended the invitation to the Thiruvananthapuram MP amidst a major political row over a recent article he wrote, in which he praised Kerala's entrepreneurial growth under the Left government.

DYFI national president and CPI (M) Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim, state secretary V K Sanoj, and central committee member M Shajar met Tharoor in New Delhi and personally invited him to the two-day event, set to take place on March 1 and 2.

"He told us that the startup festival is a good initiative and that he never views politics through the lens of development," Sanoj told PTI.

He added, "Tharoor mentioned that he has pre-scheduled engagements on those dates, making it difficult for him to attend." However, the DYFI leadership later said Tharoor welcomed the startup festival idea.

The youth startup festival, MAWASO 2025, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on March 1.

Following reports of DYFI’s invitation to Tharoor, Youth Congress general secretary Abin Varkey dismissed it as "insignificant", claiming that the invitation was extended with a "political agenda".

Although Tharoor declined the Left outfit's invitation, the DYFI's gesture carried political significance, especially since the senior leader faced criticism within the Congress for his positive remarks in an English article on Kerala's entrepreneurial growth under the Pinarayi Vijayan government.

The national leadership of the Congress party stated on Tuesday that the controversy surrounding Tharoor's article was a "closed chapter".

Rahul Gandhi also held discussions with the senior leader in New Delhi on Tuesday amidst the row.

On Sunday, Tharoor, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), clarified that his article in an English daily contained no political references. He stated that his sole focus was on Kerala's entrepreneurial and innovation-driven growth and that he intended to highlight the state's progress in that specific area.