Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday firmly rejected recent remarks made by fellow party leader K Muraleedharan, who claimed that Tharoor would no longer be invited to party programmes in Thiruvananthapuram unless he realigns his political stance. Tharoor labelled the statements as “baseless” and questioned Muraleedharan’s authority within the Congress.

“First, tell me — on what basis is such a statement being made?” Tharoor asked, responding to reporters outside Parliament. “Those making such remarks — what official role do they currently have? Who are they to speak for the party’s decisions in Kerala?”

The sharp rebuttal comes in response to Muraleedharan’s comments made on July 20, in which he openly criticised Tharoor for allegedly distancing himself from the party line, particularly on national security issues. Muraleedharan had also accused Tharoor of frequently contradicting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and of earlier making remarks about late leaders like Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi.

“Let me be very clear — I have always spoken for what I believe is in the national interest and consistent with democratic values,” Tharoor said. “If someone has a problem with that, they need to explain their problem, not question my integrity.”

The disagreement highlights deepening tensions within the Congress’s Kerala unit, especially as internal party dynamics evolve ahead of upcoming state-level political manoeuvres.

Tharoor, a three-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has been known for his independent views within the party, which often leads to friction with some sections of the leadership. However, he dismissed the possibility of personal rivalry. “Don’t ask me to interpret someone else’s words. I can only speak for myself, not for others’ behaviour,” he said.