Govt playing games, Cong after Centre snubs party picks

The Congress on Saturday accused the government of "playing games" with a "mischievous mindset" by announcing names of heads of diplomatic outreach delegations after Operation Sindoor other than the four given by the party. The opposition party's attack came after Shashi Tharoor, not part of the four leaders nominated by the Congress, was named as the head of a delegation to key partner countries to convey India's message of zero tolerance against terrorism following Operation Sindoor. In an apparent swipe at Tharoor, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Congress mein hona aur Congress ka hona mein zameen-aasmaan ka antar hai (There is a difference between being in the Congress and of the Congress)." Ramesh said senior party leader Salman Khurshid was also approached by the government and he told them that the party has to decide.  The Congress said it was asked by the government to submit names of four MPs for the all-party delegations to be sent abroad to explain India's stance on terrorism from Pakistan and it nominated Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
At a media briefing in New Delhi, Ramesh hit out at the government and said, "You cannot include names of MPs (in delegations) without consulting the party." In a democratic system, when individual MPs are sent on an official delegation, MPs should seek the concurrence of the party, he said. Ramesh said it is "dishonest" and "downright mischievous" to ask the Congress for names when in all probability, they had decided the names even before that. Ramesh also alleged that the whole delegation exercise is a "diversionary and cosmetic exercise". He asserted that the Congress will not rethink the four names it has sent to the government.Jairam Ramesh asserted on Saturday that the Congress is “not going to change.”
"The one who did not come for all-party meetings, did not call a special session, did not break silence on US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio's claims, announces multi-party delegations," Ramesh said, taking a swipe at Modi. "In diplomacy, some things are done in confidence. But today, a different sort of press release came from the side of the government, we are surprised," he said.
Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders backed Shashi Tharoor and slammed Congress for being “insecure” and “jealous” by someone who “outshines the high command”. BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla hit out at the Congress over not proposing the name of Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor for the delegations, saying that the party does not trust its leaders. He further said that Congress proposed dubious names, including people during whose election slogans of Pakistan Zindabad were raised.