Shashi Tharoor receives PM in Kerala, takes dig at ‘dysfunctional’ Delhi airport
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said he “managed to land in time” to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will commission the Vizhinjam International Seaport today. In a post on X, the four-time Thiruvananthapuram MP said he was able to receive PM Modi despite the delays at the Delhi airport, which he termed “dysfunctional”.
A photo posted by Tharoor on X showed the Congress MP shaking hands with PM Modi in Thiruvananthapuram while Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan looks on. The Congress leader said he was looking forward to PM Modi commissioning the Vizhinjam port, a project which, he said, has been “proudly” involved in since its inception.
“Despite delays at the dysfunctional Delhi airport, I managed to land in Thiruvananthapuram in time to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in my constituency. Looking forward to his officially commissioning Vizhinjam port, a project I have been proud to have been involved with since its inception,” he said.
The Delhi airport has been facing flight delays due to shifting wind patterns and the closure of one runway for upgradation works. The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which operates the airport, issued an advisory regarding change in wind patterns for Wednesday and not on Thursday.
The development came as Tharoor earlier praised the Narendra Modi-led government’s over a number of issues, including the Ukraine war stance and navigating talks with US President Donald Trump.
THAROOR’S PAST PRAISES FOR PM MODI
In March, Tharoor praised the PM Modi-led government for its Vaccine Maitri initiative, which facilitated the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to several countries. In an article for The Week, the Congress MP highlighted how India leveraged its status as the world’s vaccine manufacturing hub, significantly enhancing its soft power on the global stage.
Despite the “dark days” of the pandemic, he wrote, India’s vaccine diplomacy emerged as a silver lining, reinforcing the country’s role in global health diplomacy and its ability to address global challenges.
Earlier, Tharoor admitted that he was “left with egg on the face” for opposing India’s stance when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in 2022. He had criticised India’s stance when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and called for condemnation of the aggression.
The former UN diplomat-turned-politician also praised the outcome of PM Modi’s meeting with Trump at the White House in February, underlining that several major concerns had been addressed.
In an interview with IE Malayalam podcast in February, Tharoor said he was available for the Congress, but warned he had “options” if the party did not require his services. He, however, refuted rumours of switching parties, saying he did not believe so even if there was a difference in opinions. The podcast interview occurred amid rumours of rifts between him and the Congress’s top brass.
The BJP pounced on Tharoor’s remarks to take a dig at the Congress, saying it would leave its MP Rahul Gandhi “red-faced”.
