Veteran Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, known for his illustrious gift of the gab, rarely slips up on social media. And yet, on Friday, decidedly a crucial day for Tharoor, that's just what he seems to have done. The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who filed his nomination for the post of Congress President on September 30, was targeted by the BJP over a social media post and accused of sharing a "mutilated map" of India.
Tharoor filed his nomination on Friday and released a manifesto which had India's map that did not appear accurate as some parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were omitted. Tharoor's office later said the map had been corrected following furor on social media over the purposed "faux pas".
Taking a dig at the Congress MP, BJP said that the Tharoor has used a "mutilated map" not having parts of Jammu and Kashmir to perhaps "find favour" with the Gandhis.
In a tweet, BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya said, "While Rahul Gandhi is supposedly on a Bharat Jodo Yatra, wannabe Congress President is hell-bent on dismembering India. Maybe he thinks this might help find favour with the Gandhis."
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP's national spokesperson RP Singh said, "It is not a mistake or blunder but laid policy of Congress about Jammu and Kashmir."
The map mix-up comes in the backdrop of the high drama surrounding the upcoming Congress elections on October 17. Tharoor and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge are the main contenders presidential race with both the leaders filing their nominations on Friday. The veteran Kharge has appeared to be a clear favourite. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was previously being seen as a frontrunner for the top post, is out of the running following the rebellion in Rajasthan among his loyalist MLAs against the potential appointment of Sachin Pilot as Chief Minister if Gehlot vacates the chair.
(With inputs from PTI)
