Shashi Tharoor's praise for Kerala govt makes Congress see red: 'Perverted political line'

In his article, Shashi Tharoor cited the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s article in a daily praising the entrepreneurial growth of Kerala under the left government was slammed by the party's mouthpiece Veekshanam Daily.

“The prospects of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the upcoming local body elections should not be massacred by creating an unnecessary controversy over development. When the anti-government sentiment is being inflamed, there should not be an attempt to douse it. Such an approach is a perverted political line,” the editorial in the Veekshanam Daily said as quoted by Indian Express. The editorial, however, did not name Tharoor.

It urged him not to betray the expectations of thousands of party cadres ahead of the upcoming local body elections. The Veekshanam Daily stated that pulling the Congress-led UDF back at a time when it was fighting against the Pinarayi Vijayan government inside and outside the Assembly would be “suicidal”.

Tharoor recently said he had not praised the CPI(M)-led government in Kerala but had merely highlighted the state's progress in the startup sector.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP claimed that his article in an English daily contained no political references and that his focus was solely on Kerala's entrepreneurial and innovation-driven growth.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan questioned the basis of Tharoor’s claims. “Kerala is not a state that has an industry-friendly atmosphere now. The Industries Minister claims that 3 lakh businesses were started in Kerala in the last 3.5 years. I asked with astonishment as to which these 3 lakh businesses are. We don’t agree with the state government’s claim. There is no such atmosphere in Kerala,” he said.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also dismissed Tharoor’s views. “Industries sector is being destroyed in Kerala under the Left government. We will show documents and talk to him about it. No new industries are starting in Kerala. We should not fall for this propaganda,” he asserted.

In his article, Tharoor cited the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report. According to him, Kerala’s startup ecosystem, between July 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023, was valued at USD $1.7 billion—five times the global average.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Tharoor's article had debunked the false propaganda spread by the Congress-led UDF against Kerala.