Key Points

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor highlighted the Vizhinjam Seaport project as a symbol of cooperative federalism, praising its successful commissioning in Thiruvananthapuram despite political differences.

"Yesterday, the Prime Minister came to Thiruvanathapuram, and we saw the official commissioning of the Vizhinjam Seaport. The port has been a dream of the people of Vizhinjam and Thiruvanathapuram, my constituency, and Kerala for a very, very long time. A project initiated by a Congress government was continued by a Communist Left front government and then commissioned by a BJP government in the centre," Tharoor said.

"That is a very good example of how we can focus on development for the benefit of the nation ahead of whatever political issues may divide us," he said.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a political jibe at the Opposition INDIA bloc during the inauguration of the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram stating that the presence of Shashi Tharoor on stage "would disturb the sleep" of many people.

In his address during the public event after the inauguration, PM Modi said, "I want to tell Chief Minister (Pinarayi Vijayan), you are a strong pillar of INDI alliance, Shashi Tharoor is also sitting here."

"Today's event is going to disturb the sleep of many", Prime Minister Modi said.

Tharoor, a four-time Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, had recently praised the PM Modi-led Central government over his remarks on the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Tharoor had also been criticised by his party colleagues over PM Modi's diplomatic tasks with US President Donald Trump.

- ANI