After his praise for the LDF government’s industrial policy triggered a political controversy, Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor clarified on Sunday that he did not praise the CPI-M-led LDF  government in Kerala, but instead highlighted the state’s progress in the startup sector.

Speaking to media persons in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, Tharoor said that his article published in an English daily did not contain any political references. Tharoor said he spoke about the development achieved in one sector. He emphasised that his focus was solely on Kerala’s growth in entrepreneurship and innovation, aiming to highlight the state’s development in that specific area. “Kerala is still in a major economic crisis. But the change that has taken place in one sector is promising,” Tharoor said.

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In his article, ‘Changing Kerala: Lumbering jumbo to a lithe tiger’, published in The New Indian Express on Friday, Tharoor highlighted Kerala’s new industrial policies, focusing on knowledge-based industries like AI, blockchain, and machine learning.

“Kerala, with its strong historical foundation and strategic economic initiatives, has emerged as a dynamic centre for startups. Kerala’s startup ecosystem has experienced impressive valuations and rapid scaling, positioning the state as a key player in India’s economic ascent and a recognised leader in fostering entrepreneurial excellence,” Tharoor said in the article.

“The state has implemented a new industrial policy focusing on knowledge-based industries, including AI, blockchain technology, and machine learning. Under the state’s “Year of Enterprises” initiative, over 2,90,000 MSMEs have been established, with significant investments and support for women and transgender entrepreneurs. I had been constrained to observe in the past that “god’s own country” was the devil’s own playground for business. If that is no longer true, we all have reasons to celebrate,” he further says in the article.

Finding itself in an embarrassing situation after party MP Shashi Tharoor heaped praise on the Left-ruled Kerala, the Congress leadership launched an open attack on him. Coming out against Tharoor’s praise for the LDF government’s industrial policy, Congress leader VD Satheesan said Kerala is not a state with favourable industrial conditions and that he was not sure if Tharoor had written the article based on real studies.

Questioning the credibility of Tharoor’s data on startups, Satheesan said, “I do not know from where Tharoor got these figures about the growth of MSMEs in Kerala. Many of the Kerala diaspora who return from abroad open shops, bakeries, and small ventures, but how can such ventures be accounted into the MSME figures?”

In a latest Facebook post on Sunday, Tharoor said that his article is not an attempt to assess the entire economic situation of Kerala. “I wrote this article as an MP, focusing on a specific issue in Kerala—the transformation of the business environment driven by the growth of the startup sector,” his post said.

Tharoor said that the late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was behind the launch of the startup mission in the state.

“I take this opportunity to proudly acknowledge that it was former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, as a Congressman, who laid the foundation for this progress. The developments stem from his initiatives, including the launch of the Startup Village and the state’s Startup Mission. The current government has naturally carried them forward,” he said.

He asked his critics to make comments on his article only after reading it, as there is nothing about party politics in it. “I have spoken about what Kerala needs to do to come out of the economic crisis.” He clarified that he does not believe that the overall industrial environment in Kerala has changed. “Kerala is still facing a major economic crisis, with 80 percent of the state PSUs running at a loss,” he added.

Stating that his article was not a comprehensive assessment of the state’s total economic situation, Tharoor said the state was still facing a grave economic crisis. Increasing unemployment, the exodus of youth to foreign countries, the crisis in the agriculture sector and the record debt of the state were issues that would need a lot of time to address.

It may be noted that despite widespread criticism, Shashi Tharoor has not changed his statement about the industrial achievements of the Left government in Kerala. Even after his views sparked uproar, Tharoor stuck to his position, saying the article was in Kerala’s interest. He is challenging the national and state Congress leadership, demanding specific figures if he is to correct his statement.

Tharoor is repeatedly criticising the party, even saying that he will discuss it if he wants to resign from the working committee. Even after criticism from Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, Tharoor has not budged an inch. However, when he met media persons on Sunday, he acknowledged that the Antony and Oommen Chandy governments initiated the startup achievements, and praised PK Kunhalikutty, who was the Industries Minister. But Tharoor again said that the Left government has taken forward such initiatives in a good way.

Meanwhile, in a scathing attack on Tharoor, senior Congress leader and  UDF convener M M Hasan stated that if Shashi Tharoor wishes to express views that contradict the party and the front’s stance, he should have the decency to resign from the Congress Working Committee (CWC). He accused Tharoor of making statements without understanding the ground reality, calling the content of his article unrealistic and baseless.

Responding to Tharoor’s claim, IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty on Sunday said that Kerala’s industrial landscape saw a big transformation during the consecutive Congress-led UDF governments under K Karunakaran, A K Antony and Oommen Chandy.

Sashi Tharoor’s praise for Prime Minister Modi and the LDF government’s industrial policy has put the Congress leadership in Kerala in an embarrassing situation. Political observers feel that it is not just the different thinking of the cosmopolitan in him that has led Tharoor to praise PM Modi and the Left government’s industrial policy. It is said that Tharoor was not happy with the national and state party leadership.