Shashi Tharoor backs privatisation of Thiruvananthapuram airport even as other Congress MPs oppose it

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor | File

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor of the Congress reportedly backed the Central government bid to hand over the operations of the International airport here to a private group at the MP's conference chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Monday ahead of the Parliament session.

Though the Congress leader was not available for comment, an office aide of his re-posted a television channel report indicating that Mr. Tharoor had differed from other MPs in the matter in a WhatsApp newsgroup managed by journalists here.

The Chief Minister's Office had said that the MP's conference had resolved to oppose the privatisation of the airport. It did not mention whether Mr. Tharoor had struck a different stance.

Mr. Tharoor had earned criticism from within his party when he

tweeted endorsing the privatisation move.