After Tharoor praised Kerala’s entrepreneurial growth, DYFI invites him to startup festival
The Congress MP said his sole focus was on Kerala's entrepreneurial and innovation-driven growth and that he intended to highlight its progress in that specific area
The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI (M) on Wednesday (February 19) invited senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to attend its upcoming youth startup festival, scheduled to be held in Kerala's capital next month.
The Left outfit extended the invitation to the Thiruvananthapuram MP amidst a major political row over a recent article he wrote, in which he praised Kerala's entrepreneurial growth under the Left government.
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DYFI national president and CPI (M) Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim, state secretary VK Sanoj, and central committee member M Shajar met Tharoor in New Delhi and personally invited him to the two-day event, set to take place on March 1 and 2.
Good initiative: Tharoor
"He told us that the startup festival is a good initiative and that he never views politics through the lens of development," Sanoj told PTI.
He added, "Tharoor mentioned that he has pre-scheduled engagements on those dates, making it difficult for him to attend."
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However, the DYFI leadership later said Tharoor welcomed the startup festival idea.
The youth startup festival, MAWASO 2025, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on March 1.
Political agenda in invitation: Congress
Following reports of DYFI’s invitation to Tharoor, Youth Congress general secretary Abin Varkey dismissed it as "insignificant", claiming that the invitation was extended with a "political agenda". Local media reports say that the Congress asked Tharoor to decline the invitation.
Although Tharoor declined the Left outfit's invitation, the DYFI's gesture carried political significance, especially since the senior leader faced criticism within the Congress for his positive remarks in an English article on Kerala's entrepreneurial growth under the Pinarayi Vijayan government.
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The national leadership of the Congress party stated on Tuesday that the controversy surrounding Tharoor's article was a "closed chapter". Rahul Gandhi also held discussions with the senior leader in New Delhi on Tuesday (February 18) amidst the row.
On Sunday (February 16), Tharoor, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), clarified that his article in an English daily contained no political references. He stated that his sole focus was on Kerala's entrepreneurial and innovation-driven growth and that he intended to highlight the state's progress in that specific area.
(With agency inputs)