'Last Night I Attended...': Shashi Tharoor Shares 'Warm' Putin Banquet Story As Congress Fumes

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Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday shared his experience from the state banquet hosted at Rashtrapati Bhavan in honour of Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing the evening as "warm and engaging"."Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor posted on X

Also Read:'Kamaal Kiya': Congress Trains Guns On Tharoor Once Again - This Time For Accepting Putin Dinner Invite | WATCH

Congress questions Tharoor's decision to attend banquet

His remarks came as the Congress on Friday sharply criticised its own senior leader for attending the state banquet, an event to which Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were not invited.Speaking to ANI, the party's communications chief Pawan Khera, expressed displeasure over Tharoor's decision to accept the invitation, calling it "surprising" and hinted at a larger political motive behind the selective invite."Kamaal kiya," Khera remarked. "It's quite surprising that an invitation was sent and the invitation was accepted also. Everyone's conscience has a voice. When my leaders aren't invited, but I am, we should understand why the game is being played, who is playing the game, and why we shouldn't be part of it," he added.Also Read: Where's The Meat, Wine? Congress Roasts BJP For Serving 'Only Vegetarian' To PutinThe development has once again triggered internal unease within the party about the Congress leadership's growing discomfort surrounding Tharoor's independent streak. Similar criticism had erupted when Tharoor was chosen to lead the Centre's all-party delegation for a global outreach on Operation Sindoor.While Tharoor received the invite, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were not invited to the high-profile dinner, Congress sources said.