NEW DELHI, Feb 25: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared a selfie with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the UK’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, on Tuesday, expressing his support for the resurgence of the long-stalled India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
“It was great to converse with Jonathan Reynolds at the event on Monday, alongside his Indian counterpart, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal,” Tharoor remarked about their interaction.
Tharoor emphasized on X that the revival of the FTA negotiations is highly welcomed.
The post sparked considerable discussion in political circles, especially following the backlash Tharoor faced from certain Congress leaders in Kerala regarding his recent newspaper article, which was perceived as a commendation of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s efforts to enhance the investment landscape.
His article lauding the entrepreneurial advancements in Kerala under the LDF government ignited a political debate last week, with Congress members questioning its validity while CPI(M) leaders expressed support.
The BJP claimed on Monday that Tharoor’s marginalization within the Congress party was an unavoidable outcome after he ran against the Gandhi family’s “nominee” Mallikarjun Kharge in the party’s presidential election.
BJP IT department chief Amit Malviya labeled the Congress as a “proprietorship firm” of the Gandhi family.
In response, Tharoor clarified on Sunday that his remarks were not an endorsement of the CPI(M)-led government in Kerala, but rather an acknowledgment of the state’s progress in the startup ecosystem. (PTI)
