Shashi Tharoor, Revanth Reddy row highlights squabbles within party

A newspaper has reported that Reddy used derogatory language against Tharoor for praising Telangana govt’s work

Shashi Tharoor and Revanth Reddy.

Though a patch-up late on September 16 between senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and his Lok Sabha party colleague Revanth Reddy put the lid on the row over the latter’s comments against the former, the episode reflects the simmering tensions between the loyalists of the Sonia Gandhi family and the G-23 , who have sought internal reforms within the organisation.

Mr. Reddy, a person seen as being close to former party chief Rahul Gandhi, tweeted, “I spoke to shri @ShashiTharoor ji to convey that I hereby withdraw the remarks and reiterate that I hold my senior colleague in the highest regard. I regret any hurt that may have been caused to him by my words. We share our faith in the values and policies of the Congress Party. And I know he joins me in wanting Congress to win the support of the public to form the next government in Telengana”.

In response, Mr. Tharoor tweeted, “I received a gracious call from @revanth_anumula to apologise for what was said. I accept his expression of regret & am happy to put this unfortunate episode behind us. We must work together to strengthen @INCIndia in Telengana & across the country”.

The row erupted after a newspaper reported that

Mr. Reddy used derogatory language against Mr. Tharoor for praising the work of the Telangana government.

The report, which claimed Mr. Reddy hoped for the expulsion of Mr. Tharoor, was promptly highlighted by Telangana Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao.

Tharoor’s clarification

Mr. Tharoor had earlier told The Hindu, “I was in Hyderabad leading the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology and my comments were confined to appreciating the government’s work in the information technology sector. Such a reaction was totally unwarranted and may have been based on inaccurate information about what I said and the circumstances in which it was said”.

Making a political point against the party central leadership’s appointee in Telangana, Lok Sabha member Manish Tewari told Mr. Reddy on Twitter, “Dr @ShashiTharoor is a valued colleague of yours & mine It would have been better if you would have spoken to him if you had some misgivings about a purported statement of his”.

Mr. Tharoor, Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram who is among the ‘reformists’, was a star campaigner for the party during the recently concluded Assembly elections in Kerala, addressing as many as 56 meetings.

However, relations with the top leadership may have soured again after many of them, including Mr. Tharoor, attended a dinner meet hosted by Kapil Sibal to rally Opposition leaders.