Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Thursday, in an interview with NDTV, that his recent differences with the party can be resolved, implying that they were not contentious enough to warrant his exit from the party.
He stated that he has been "loyal to the Congress for 16 years" and if there are any differences, they can be sorted "behind closed doors" with the people concerned.
Tharoor said that his differences of opinion were only with "some elements of leadership... but this is hardly the time to discuss such matters."
"If there are any differences, it should be discussed behind closed doors with the people concerned and that is where I want to leave it," the former minister told NDTV.
Differences between the Congress and Tharoor came to the fore when he was selected by the ruling government, which has a BJP majority, to lead an all-party delegation to various countries to raise awareness on India's struggles with cross-border terrorism, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Tharoor was criticised by some Congress leaders, who accused him of acting like a "superspokesman" for the ruling BJP.
Tharoor, who is serving as a Member of Parliament for Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, was also criticised for being absent from the campaigning for the Nilambur by-election in the state.
He stated he wasn't invited by the party for the campaign, which further fueled speculation about internal rifts.
When asked about his current relationship with the Congress, Tharoor affirmed his commitment, stating, "I have been someone who has stayed with the party and been loyal for the last 16 years." He further added that he has cultivated strong connections with numerous colleagues and party workers throughout this period.
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