Tharoor says he was not invited to Bihar campaign, calls for review of Congress defeat

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said he was not invited to campaign in the Bihar election, while noting that the Congress would examine the reasons for its defeat.

Speaking to reporters in the wake of the Bihar poll outcome, Tharoor said the party has a responsibility to study in detail the causes behind the setback.

“Remember, we were not the senior partner in the alliance and the RJD also has to look carefully at its own performance,” he said.

According to him, in a mandate like Bihar’s, it is important to examine the totality of the party’s performance.

He noted that elections are about a number of factors.

“There is, of course, the popular mood. There are questions about the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses. There is a question of messaging. These are issues that will have to be looked at,” he said.

Tharoor said the results would be analysed thoroughly. “I was not there and I was not invited to campaign in Bihar. So I can’t say much from personal experience. Those who were there will certainly study the outcome,” he added.

Meanwhile, Tharoor drew sharp criticism from senior Congress leader MM Hassan for his recent article against Dynasty politics in the party.

In another event, senior Congress leader M M Hassan criticised Tharoor and said that the MP entered politics with the support of the Nehru family and gained all his positions and fame because of them.

“I have also voted for Tharoor. He has not shed a drop of sweat for society or the country,” Hassan said.

He said that while Tharoor could criticise the Nehru family, but not as a member of the Congress Working Committee.

Hassan accused Tharoor of using the same “family politics” arguments employed by the BJP to target Rahul Gandhi.

“Before doing that, he should respectfully step away from the Congress Working Committee,” he said.

In a recent article for international media organisation Project Syndicate, the Thiruvananthapuram MP pointed out that Tharoor said dynastic politics across the political spectrum poses a "grave threat" to Indian democracy and asserted that it is high time India traded "dynasty for meritocracy".