Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor is set to lead a key all-party delegation abroad to present India’s stance on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. The announcement has sparked intrigue as Tharoor was not among the four names proposed by the Congress party for the delegation.
On the morning of May 16, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju requested the Congress to suggest four nominees for the delegation. By noon, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, submitted the party’s list. Notably absent from it was Shashi Tharoor.
The Congress shortlist included:
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Anand Sharma, former Union Cabinet Minister
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Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha
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Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain, Rajya Sabha MP
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Raja Brar, Lok Sabha MP
Despite not being nominated by his own party, Tharoor was later named head of the delegation by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The final delegation comprises leaders from across party lines, including BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, NCP’s Supriya Sule (Sharad Pawar faction), and Shrikant Shinde of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction).
The move signals a possible cross-party consensus on utilizing Tharoor’s international diplomacy experience, even amid internal party dynamics.
