'All is good, we are on same page': Shashi Tharoor after meeting Kharge, Rahul
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for redressal of his grievances, after which he said "all is good" and "we are all on the same page", signalling a rapprochement with his party ahead of the crucial Kerala Assembly polls.
The meeting in Kharge's chamber in the Parliament House complex lasted for over an hour and forty-five minutes.
"We had a discussion with my two party leaders, the LoP and the Congress president. We had a very good, constructive, positive discussion," Tharoor said.
"All is good and we are moving together on the same page. What more can I say," he told reporters in Parliament premises after the meeting.
Asked if the issue of chief ministerial face for Kerala polls was discussed, Tharoor said that was never the issue.
"I am not interested in being the candidate for anything. At the moment I am already an MP, I have the trust of my voters from Thiruvananthapuram. I have their interest to look after in Parliament, that is my job," he said.
Tharoor said he was very satisfied with his meeting with the top Congress brass.
In a post on X, Tharoor said, "Thanks to @INCIndia President @kharge ji and LS LoP @RahulGandhi ji for a warm and constructive discussion today on a wide range of subjects. We are all on the same page as we move forward in the service of the people of India."
He also posted a picture from the meeting in which the three of them are seen smiling and posing for a picture at Kharge's chamber in Parliament House complex.
Sources said it was a "comprehensive" meeting during which a wide array of subjects were covered.
Kharge and Gandhi made "the time necessary for a thorough discussion", a source close to Tharoor said, adding that all were on the "same page" and resolved to move forward together.
Tharoor had been upset over the treatment meted out to him at a Kochi event recently and attempts by some leaders to sideline him in Kerala.
Congress sources said the "proof of the pudding will be in the eating" and the next few weeks will demonstrate how well everything works in practice.
The meeting comes ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls which are very crucial for the Congress as it seeks to wrest power from the Left after 10 years in the opposition and is going all out to secure a victory in the southern state.
Last week, Tharoor had skipped a key strategy meeting of the party for the upcoming Kerala polls as he was believed to be upset over Rahul Gandhi not properly acknowledging his presence at a recent event and repeated attempts by state leaders to "sideline" him.
Sources close to him had then said that while a series of events had led to Tharoor's disappointment with the treatment meted out to him, the tipping point was Gandhi not acknowledging him at the 'Maha Panchayath' held in Kochi on January 19 to felicitate the local body poll winners.
Gandhi had acknowledged other senior leaders present on the stage and took their names but did not mention Tharoor, a four-time MP and one of the three Congress Working Committee (CWC) members from the state, who was also on the dais, the sources said.
A row had erupted last year over his comments on the India-Pakistan conflict and the diplomatic outreach after the Pahalgam attack. His comments were at variance with the Congress' stand and many party leaders took a swipe at him, questioning his intentions.
Tharoor has, however, maintained that there is no variance in stance on foreign policy and there must be bipartisanship.
Kharge on Friday chaired a key meeting of the party here with Kerala leaders to fine-tune the party strategy for the assembly polls.
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Five Delhi schools receive bomb threats; declared hoax after thorough check
New Delhi (PTI): Five schools in the national capital received bomb threats via email on Thursday morning. It was later declared a hoax following sweeping searches by security agencies.
According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), a call about the threats was received around 8.30 am, which led to a thorough checking of the premises by multiple security agencies.
The DFS confirmed that Loreto Convent in Delhi Cantonment, Don Bosco in Chittaranjan Park, and Carmel Convent campuses in Anand Niketan and Dwarka have received threats.
On the other hand, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in Lodhi Estate sent out a message to the parents of its students, informing them about the security threat.
Police and fire authorities were immediately informed, triggering evacuation protocols and anti-sabotage checks. "Following standard operating procedures, nothing suspicious was found," a DFS officer said, adding that the threat had been declared a hoax.
The Sardar Patel Vidyalaya administration informed parents that a security threat had been received in the morning, and authorities were immediately alerted. The school said a bomb squad team conducted a thorough inspection of the entire campus.
"We are relieved to inform you that the premises have been declared completely safe for use. Student safety remains our highest priority, and all necessary protocols were followed promptly and responsibly. Classes will continue as usual today," the message read.
Police sources said local police personnel, bomb disposal squads and dog squads were deployed to sweep the campuses. Students and staff were moved to safe areas in some schools, they added.
Further investigation is underway to trace the origin of the threats, police said.
On Wednesday, the Dwarka court complex received a similar bomb threat, which was declared a hoax.
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