Shashi Tharoor Welcomes PM Modi in Thiruvananthapuram; Ripples in Political Grapevine

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader and MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor reached the airport to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his arrival in Kerala on Tuesday morning. Several eyebrows may have got raised because this happened at a time when severe political tussle continues between Congress and the BJP.

The prime minister is on a two-day Kerala trip. He was welcomed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Tharoor.

Several non-BJP chief ministers have preferred to disregard the protocol by not receiving the Prime Minister during their arrival in their states. So, Tharoor’s presence in the airport to welcome the BJP leader and Prime Minister became a matter of speculation and gossip.

It may be noted that Tharoor had contested for the post of president of the Congress party. He was defeated by Mallikarjun Kharge, the present president of the party.