Shashi Tharoor praises Rahul Gandhi, set to be star campaigner in polls

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday praised former party president Rahul Gandhi, saying he was a "sincere" person and a "strong voice" against communalism in the country, signalling bonhomie with the party leadership after his meeting with Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi to resolve differences.

The thaw in relations between Tharoor and the party's top leadership also became evident with Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan asserting that the Thiruvananthapuram MP will be a star campaigner for the party-led UDF in the upcoming polls.

"I can say that I am going to be in the Congress and that I am not going anywhere. I will be part of the poll campaign (in Kerala) and will work for the victory of the UDF," Tharoor told reporters here.


"But, why is it that I am being asked to make such statements?" the 69-year-old MP said, and clarified that his stand on certain issues may have been portrayed by the media as pro-BJP, but he viewed it as pro-government or pro-India.