I don't fear anyone, no one needs to fear me: Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday while continuing his Malabar tour met senior leaders of UDFally IUML at Panakkad and also said that he fears no one and there is no reason for anyone to fear himIn response to a query by the media as to who was afraid of his tour in Kerala Tharoor said I do not fear anyone and there is no need for anyone to be afraid of meHis remarks assume significance amidst speculation that some of the Congress leadership in Kerala appear to be apprehensive over the increasing support he was enjoying and the emergence of a Tharoor group within the party in the stateTharoor however downplayed his meeting with the IUML leaders at the residence of Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal by saying that it was just a courtesy call on the way to an event in the districtAlso Read Dr Ambedkar was Indias first male feminist says Shashi TharoorOther senior Indian Union Muslim League IUML leaders present there also termed his visit as nothing unusual and said they all go and meet Thangal whenever they pass through the areaThe MP from Thiruvananthapuram also accompanied by his staunch supporter and MP M K Raghavan also told reporters that he has no intention or interest in creating a groupSome are saying its his tour divisive tactics or groupism We do not intend to create any group nor are we interested in it Congress is already full of A and I groups and there is no need to add any more alphabets like O and VIf there has to be an alphabet it should be U for a united Congress which is what we all need There is nothing unusual about this visit I fail to see the need to make a big deal out of two UDF MPs meeting an allys leaders Tharoor saidHe said that at a time when divisive politics was active in the country there was a need for politics which would bring together everyone and it was praiseworthy that IUML recently held programmes to promote brotherhood in Chennai Bengaluru and MumbaiAfter meeting Tharoor Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said that his family has had close relations with the MP ever since he came to KeralaHe is invited to all important events occasions Therefore when he was here he came to meet us Thangal saidOn being asked if he wants Tharoor to be active in Kerala politics he said He Tharoor is already active He is an MP from Kerala He won twice from here He is not confined to Thiruvananthapuram He is a good campaignerTharoors Malabar tour appears to have rattled a significant section in Congress in Kerala with a few of them sensing an agenda behind the Thiruvananthapuram MPs moveTharoors opponents in the party feel that through his programmes he was trying to position himself as an ideal Chief Ministerial candidate of the Congressled UDF for the 2026 Assembly polls to end the rule of the CPIMled LDF in the stateThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever