As Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his visit to India, President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to host a ceremonial dinner in his honour on Friday. The guest list has triggered political discussion after invitations were not extended to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, however, received an invitation to the event. Reacting to the development, Tharoor said he was unaware that Rahul Gandhi had been excluded but confirmed that he would attend the dinner. He added that he did not know on what basis the central government chose to invite him.
Tharoor was among the delegates recently sent abroad to brief global leaders on Operation Sindoor, a move that is believed to have strengthened his channels of communication with the Centre. His recent remarks extending support to the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on multiple occasions have drawn criticism from within the Congress.
A former diplomat who served at the United Nations, Tharoor is known to have longstanding ties with Russian officials. Political observers suggest this may have contributed to his presence on the exclusive guest list.