Congress in Kerala distances itself from Tharoor delegation row

Kochi | The Congress in Kerala on Sunday distanced itself from the controversy over Shashi Tharoor's decision to accept the Centre's invite to lead a multi-party delegation abroad, stating that it is for the party high command to comment on the matter.

Responding to a reporter's query, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said Tharoor is a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and leaders like him hold a lower position in the party hierarchy.

"CWC member is a significant position. The central leadership of the party should express its opinion about it. Whatever be their view, we also share it," he said on the sidelines of a function in Paravur here.

Satheesan's remarks came in the wake of Tharoor accepting the Centre's invitation to lead a multi-party delegation abroad to put across India's stand against Pakistan on terrorism.

His decision has become controversial as his name was not among those given by the Congress following the central government's request.

Defending his decision, Tharoor had said that he saw no politics in the matter.

He had further said that Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju officially invited him to lead the delegation in view of his past experience in handling foreign affairs and "I immediately agreed".

The Congress had nominated former Union Minister Anand Sharma, the party's Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain and Lok Sabha MP Raja Brar after the government asked for the names of four MPs for the delegations.