Days after an online petition proposed the name of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the veteran congress leader finally reacted on it seeing the huge sentiments of people attached to the idea and the amount of response it is receiving, on a Facebook post.
“I was both surprised and touched by the Change.org petition that has been circulating over the last few days suggesting a greater role for me in the Congress Party and in national politics in the 2019 elections, and by the response this has received. I do, however, feel it is time to make it clear that I neither support nor endorse such a campaign,” writes Tharoor who is currently MP from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
The petition, started on an online platform “change.org” had garnered huge response in no time. It also grabbed attention of media and became viral on social platforms. “In another two years’ time India, the largest democracy of the world will face another national election. Success of a democratic country requires a strong public interest based opposition led by a visionary leader capable of prime ministership. Shashi Tharoor is a man well qualified with deep knowledge of international and national issues, who can connect with the people of India and with world leaders. We nominate Shashi Tharoor to be the Prime Ministerial candidate of UPA in the run up to 2019. In best interest of the world’s largest democracy and to rejuvenate the opposition,” the petition reads.
However, Tharoor said, “I am a member of Parliament for the Congress Party, nothing more and nothing less. The party has a settled leadership, which is not up for debate. When changes occur they do so through an established procedure.”
Read the post below:
I was both surprised and touched by the Change.org petition that has been circulating over the last few days suggesting a greater role for me in the Congress Party and in national politics in the 2019 elections, and by the response, this has received. I do, however, feel it is time to make it clear that I neither support nor endorse such a campaign.
While I initially chose to ignore the petition, because this is not how Indian politics works, the attention it has gathered in the media, and especially on social media, obliges me to respond.
I thank the creator of this petition, who I understand is from Thiruvananthapuram, for his faith in me as his representative in Parliament, and thank everyone who has signed it so far for their good wishes. I have, however, discouraged those of my “followers” who have asked me about this from doing so, since I do not support such a campaign.
I am a member of Parliament for the Congress Party, nothing more and nothing less. The party has a settled leadership, which is not up for debate. When changes occur they do so through an established procedure.
I want to assure those who have nonetheless so generously expressed their faith in me that I share their aspiration for a better India, an aspiration that can best be given voice and expression through the Indian National Congress and the values it enshrines, and will continue to work towards realizing our national destiny and upholding the principles that underpin this destiny.
I will continue, to the best of my abilities, with my work in Parliament, in Thiruvananthapuram, and in articulating my hopes for India and the ideas that make India — on those party platforms that are available to me, as well as on the national and international stage and through my writings.
Once again, I thank everyone for their faith and support, and request that the petition be withdrawn.
Jai Hind!
