"Did not skip it; was on a plane": Congress MP Tharoor on missing party's strategic group meeting

New Delhi [India], December 1 (ANI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday clarified that he did not intentionally skip the Congress strategic group meeting held a day earlier, stating that he was on a flight returning from Kerala when the meeting took place.
Responding to questions on his absence, the Lok Sabha MP said, "I did not skip it; I was on a plane, coming from Kerala."
Tharoor's absence from Sunday's meeting--chaired by Sonia Gandhi to discuss the party's strategy for the Winter Session--had drawn attention within political circles, especially given that he had also missed the Congress meeting on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) issue earlier, citing ill health.
According to Tharoor's office, the MP was travelling with his 90-year-old mother on a later flight from Kerala, making it impossible for him to reach Delhi in time. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal was also unable to attend due to his engagements in local body election campaigning in Kerala.
However, Tharoor's repeated absence from key party deliberations has become a point of discussion within the Congress. His decision to attend a government event addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day after he missed the SIR meeting had triggered questions from some party leaders.
Adding to the controversy were earlier posts on Tharoor's social media praising the Prime Minister, which drew criticism from within the party's ranks.
Speaking to ANI earlier, the Congress leader Sandeep Dixit said,"Shashi Tharoor's problem is that I don't think he knows a lot about the country... If, according to you, someone is doing good for the country by going against the Congress's policies, then you should follow those policies... Why are you in Congress? Is it only because you are a MP? ... If you really feel that the BJP or PM Modi's strategies are working better than the party you are in, then you should give an explanation. If you are not giving one, you are a hypocrite."
Meanwhile, Congress leader Supriya Srinate also said, "I didn't find anything in the speech (of PM Modi) worth appreciating. I think the PM must answer a lot of things. He was at an event of a newspaper. He should tell us what his problem is with fair journalism. He should have told us why he is not happy with those who show and speak truth... So, I didn't see any reason to appreciate him. I don't know how he (Shashi Tharoor) found one... I found it to be a petty speech. He criticised Congress there too. PM thinks of Congress day and night. This is amazing."
Tharoor's continued absence from key Congress meetings has become a subject of discussion within the party. His complicated relationship with the Congress leadership and his occasional positive remarks about PM Modi are also well known. (ANI)