The Lok Sabha contest in Thiruvananthapuram is shaping up to be a significant battle involving key candidates like Shashi Tharoor, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and Panniyan Ravindran. This three-cornered fight highlights the political dynamics in Kerala's capital city, with each candidate bringing their own vision and promises for the region's development, notes Rajeev Srinivasan.
A man like Tharoor, a breath of fresh air in Indian politics, has been forced to resign for committing no crimes.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday shared a video of a group of Taliban celebrating their victory in Afghanistan in his Twitter account, in which gun-wielding men are heard speaking in Malayalam.
During a session titled 'Sustaining Democracy; Nurturing Democracy', he claimed that tightening the already stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a way that kept people like Siddique Kappan in jail for two years without bail is one of the many ways the current dispensation has 'managed to depart from the democratic spirit of the Constitution'.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday claimed he has the support of party workers from across the country for his bid to fight the AICC president polls.
The tweet further said, "We can't sit back and watch Muslim girls being publicly persecuted they said. Time for the Ummah to unite."
Union Minister Farooq Abdullah favoured Shashi Tharoor stepping down to protect the "honour" of the government and said the Kerala MP should have revealed his relationship with Sunanda Pushkar right from the beginning.
The Kochi IPL controversy also draws attention to the clout of Gulf-based Keralites
In a fashion, his political life may yet be only beginning. Seared by the anguish of the past week's hellish experience, he may henceforth see things and India's political culture in a new, mature perspective. His 'homecoming' may have become complete.
Political leaders and celebrities, including Union Minister Kapil Sibal, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and filmmaker Karan Johar, have condoled the death of Sunanda Pushkar whose body was found at a five-star hotel in New Delhi.
But why is Tharoor so much an attraction for the uppish media and the conceited politicians? Here is someone, a new entrant to politics, made a minister despite being a first time MP, well-travelled, armed with a formidable curriculum vitae, techno-savvy and witty. Need any more reasons for good old envy?
In response to a question on President Donald Trump offering to "mediate" on the issue of Kashmir, Bruce said, "Well, I - obviously, I can't speak to what's on the mind or the plans of the President. What I do know is that I think we all recognise that President Trump in each step that he takes, it's made to solve generational differences between countries, generational war."
'When I stepped down from the (United Nations) secretary general's race, the first visitor I had was a former minister of the Vajpayee government inviting me to the join the BJP.'
'To lead the Congress party, you need experience.' 'You should have held some positions which give you the experience of running the party at any level.' 'Tharoor doesn't have any such experience.'
'Demand apology from the Congress Party for insulting the people of India's North East & Tribals'
Tharoor's alleged statement had sparked off a controversy with the saffron party demanding an apology from the Congress leader.
India on Saturday pulled off a big diplomatic win after the G20 summit adopted a consensus declaration overcoming major differences on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentary party chief L K Advani on Saturday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sack Shashi Tharoor in the wake of the minister of state for external affairs getting embroiled in the Kochi IPL team ownership controversy. "The prime minister must drop Shashi Tharoor from the council of ministers because of gross impropriety unbecoming of the office he is occupying," Advani said.
'We are totally in favour of the country on matters of external affairs. Naming representatives for diplomatic multi-party delegations to counter Pak-backed terrorism is the choice of parties, not of the Centre'
'@IamSanjuSamson, who hit a century in his last ODI, has not been picked for ODIs, while @IamAbhiSharma4, who hit a T20I century in the #INDvZIM series, has not been picked at all/'
A parliamentary panel on external affairs has expressed concern over China's growing presence and influence in the Indian Ocean Region, citing risks to India's national security and strategic interests. The panel also highlighted the strengthening China-Pakistan naval nexus as a cause for concern.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who was speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode on Friday, said while he concedes the BJP's dominance, it is also a fact that they have lost many states and them losing the central government is not impossible.
I am here to stay the course. Please come and vote on October 17. For me, 'Think tomorrow, think Tharoor', he said
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday exuded confidence that opposition parties which have been speaking against the grand old party will come together as they share the same goal of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Tharoor's remarks came after several BJP leaders accused the Congress of 'Pakistan parasti (worship)' and Union minister Jyoritiraditya Scindia asked if this was part of the 'Haath Se Haath Jodo Abhiyan' with enemies.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday asserted that the party's Kerala leaders 'stand as one' and were 'united' by the light of purpose ahead.
Regarding Satheesan, he said that "if we see each other at the venue, then we will see".
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that former Union minister Shashi Tharoor was aware as to who was involved in the murder of his wife Sunanda Pushkar and added that the police should question the Congress leader.
Tharoor was granted relief on a personal bond of Rs 20,000.
There is still time to take a decision, a top US diplomat said.
Tharoor and six journalists were booked by the Noida Police for sedition, among other charges, over the violence during the farmers' tractor rally in Delhi, officials had said.
Burns denied that he was against Tharoor as UNSG.
The FIR was lodged at the Sector 20 police station in Noida following a complaint by a resident who alleged that "digital broadcast" and "social media posts" by these people were responsible for the violence during a tractor rally by farmers in the national capital. The journalists named in the FIR are Mrinal Pande, Rajdeep Sardesai, Vinod Jose, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath.
'The nation cannot afford a government indifferent to its plight/'
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal with a limerick over the Delhi chief minister's "mannerless" posture row.
Tharoor said, "My own view on the Sengol controversy is that both sides have good arguments."
Unfortunately, the best man does not always win, but I feel enriched by the experience of the campaign and getting to know Rajeev Chandrasekhar, says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
He cited the Congress' poor performance in the 2019 general election after victories in assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh the previous year to buttress his point.
The last electoral contest for the top post of the party took place in 2000 when Jitendra Prasada had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Sonia Gandhi.
'Rahul Gandhi's problem is that he doesn't think big.' 'He looks more like an activist, while politics is like a game of chess. You attack and then defend and have a game-plan.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances