‘Who Are They?' Tharoor Responds To Muraleedharan’s Call For His 'Exclusion' From Congress

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor hits back at K Muraleedharan over claims of exclusion from party events in Kerala, questioning the basis of the remark and refusing to comment on others’ behaviour.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor And BJP MP Tejaswi Surya during the Monsoon session of Parliament.

Source : PTI

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has broken his silence following critical remarks from senior party leader K Muraleedharan, who claimed Tharoor would no longer be invited to Congress events in Kerala’s capital. In a sharp rebuttal on Tuesday, Tharoor challenged the credibility of such statements and called for clarity on who exactly was making these claims—and on what grounds.

“First, tell me—what’s the basis of this claim?” Tharoor asked pointedly when confronted by reporters. “Those who are saying such things, what position do they even hold in the party? Who are they?”

‘I Can Only Speak for Myself’: Tharoor Refuses to Comment on Colleagues

Clearly irked by the public remarks, Tharoor emphasized that he would not be drawn into discussing the actions or motives of others within the party. “Don’t ask me about the behaviour of others,” he said. “You speak to them about their behaviour. I can only speak for my own.”

#WATCH | Delhi: On statements by Congress leaders against him, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "The people who are saying this should have some basis for saying so. Who are they? I want to know. Then we will see. Don't ask me about the behaviour of others. I can talk about my… pic.twitter.com/KDJF1Un21D

— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2025

Muraleedharan Doubles Down: ‘Tharoor Is Not With Us Anymore’

Tharoor’s comments came in response to Muraleedharan’s assertion on Sunday that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) member would be excluded from party functions in Thiruvananthapuram unless he altered his views on national security.

“He’s not one of us anymore,” Muraleedharan told reporters, adding that Tharoor’s positions had distanced him from the party’s core values. “Till he changes his stance, we will not invite him to any party programme held in Thiruvananthapuram. He is not with us, so there is no question of him boycotting an event.”

Decision Lies with Congress High Command, Says Muraleedharan

Muraleedharan further clarified that any disciplinary action against Tharoor would be left to the party’s central leadership. “They will decide whether to act against him or allow him to continue in the party,” he said on Monday.

The tension stems from Tharoor’s recent comments asserting that “the nation comes first” and that political parties are merely a means to serve the country—a statement that appears to have ruffled feathers among some of his party colleagues.

Tharoor Accused of Undermining Party Line

Muraleedharan also accused Tharoor of routinely challenging party narratives and leadership. “In the last year, PM Modi didn’t utter a word against Sanjay Gandhi, but Tharoor did,” he claimed. “He always opposes Rahul Gandhi’s statements and even criticizes Indira Gandhi.”