New Delhi: On the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, an internal political storm brewed within the Congress party, centring on Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor. The first public criticism came from fellow Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan, who bluntly suggested it was "best" for Tharoor to leave the party.

Unnithan stated, "He doesn’t need to wait for the party to expel him -- that’s not going to happen. But he clearly wants to be thrown out. It’s best he leaves on his own.” He further alleged that Tharoor should be barred from Congress Parliamentary Party meetings, claiming Tharoor divulges internal discussions to Prime Minister Modi.

Unnithan's broadside followed a similar declaration a day earlier by senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan (son of former CM K. Karunakaran), who stated Tharoor would not be invited to party events in Thiruvananthapuram unless he altered his stance on national security issues. Unnithan himself has a history of fiery attacks within Kerala Congress politics, having risen to prominence by aligning against K. Karunakaran's faction in the early 2000s before shifting allegiances. He successfully contested and retained the Kasargod Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and 2024.

Despite the vocal opposition from some quarters, not all Congress MPs appear to share Unnithan’s hostility. Many younger lawmakers are reportedly hesitant to alienate Tharoor, who remains a high-profile and popular four-time MP.

Tharoor, appearing composed at the Parliament on Monday, warmly greeted colleagues and was briefly seen chatting with BJP MP Tejasvi Surya. He recently led an all-party delegation to the Americas under 'Operation Sindoor' and emphasised at a Kochi event that "national interest must come before partisan politics." It is these remarks, particularly his expressions of support for the armed forces and the central government on national security, that have drawn criticism from within the Congress, with some accusing him of leaning too close to the BJP's narrative.

With inputs from IANS