Congress MP Shashi Tharoor sidestepped questions about a possible rift with his party on Sunday, directing reporters to focus on the ongoing India-Pakistan ICC Champions Trophy match instead. When asked whether relations between him and the Congress remained intact, Tharoor simply replied, "No comments at all. Go watch the match, it's an important one today."

His response comes amid growing criticism from within his party following his recent remarks praising both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic engagement with the United States.

The controversy stems from an article penned by Tharoor in an English daily on February 14, where he commended the Kerala government's efforts in transforming the state's industrial landscape through the expansion of the startup sector. While the CPI(M) welcomed his statements, his own party colleagues were less appreciative. Defending his stance, Tharoor clarified that his intention was to highlight a significant economic transformation and acknowledged that it was former Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who first laid the foundation for these developments.

Tharoor later found himself in hot water again when he commented on former U.S. President Donald Trump’s praise for Modi. Trump had referred to the Indian Prime Minister as a "great leader" and described him as a superior negotiator. In response, Tharoor remarked, "For someone like Trump, who has been hailed as one of the toughest negotiators by his own defense secretary, to acknowledge that Modi is even better—that is quite a statement. Modi can certainly bank on that."

His remarks triggered strong reactions, prompting Tharoor to clarify that his comments were made in the larger interest of India rather than for political alignment. "We cannot always speak solely through the lens of party interests," he asserted.

Despite the backlash, Tharoor maintained that the debate sparked by his article had been productive in bringing key economic issues to the forefront.