Online support pours in for Tharoor

Thousands of messages of support from across the globe have been flooding various blogging and social networking sites following the resignation of the Minister of State for External Affairs Sunday night.

"This is not the end, but the end of a beginning. We all are with Dr Tharoor," read one of the messages on the microblogging site Twitter--Tharoor's stronghold.
Another tweet read, "We support you and Young India is with you and will be with you to fight the feudal lords of Indian politics."

A group 'Shashi Tharoor Fan Club' also came up on Twitter and had around 600 followers till this evening.A tweet on the group's page read: "a very sad day! No doubt the truth will prevail as this is murkier than it seems. You took the dignified stance. The loss is India's."

Besides Twitter, social networking sites such as Facebook and Orkut also feature campaigns backing the leader.On Facebook, the former union minister's supporters have formed a group "Support Shashi Tharoor!!!!".

The group, which had over 1,000 members till late evening, calls on all the Keralites to support Tharoor.Its introductory statement reads: "He stood for us.... Now its our turn to stand for him..... IPL Kerala team was not to be..... But they were made to bend the knees before the might of Shashi Tharoor"

"..... If you truly appreciate all the things Mr Tharoor has done for our home land, including realising the dream of our own IPL team, then do your part by joining this group...," it adds further.

A webpage "Support Shashi Tharoor" is also linked to the Facebook.
"We are here to say, we support you Shashi Tharoor. Don't let them pull you down for you will take our hopes and dreams for a better and brighter India with you," reads the website that had received over 1800 pledges in favour of Tharoor.

One of the pledges by a supporter of the former minister reads: "Dear sir, you are the only minister from Kerala who have shown commitment to our state and people. I feel shocked  when I heard your resignation news.... we the youth of Kerala are with u".
"Don't worry Mr Tharoor. This is not the end of the world. We, the educated Indian youths are with you. Don't mind the 3rd rate Indian politics," commented another supporter from Trivandrum. On Facebook, an online petition titled 'We Want Mr Shashi Tharoor Back!!!' and addressed to 'The Indian President' has been launched by a Tharoor supporter from Thiruvananthapuram.

"...India rarely gets politicians like Mr Tharoor. We want change and we want him back...," it read.On Orkut, another social networking site, Tharoor's supporters have formed three communities -- 'Support Dr Shashi Tharoor', 'Support Shashi Tharoor' and 'We support Shashi Tharoor'.

A Tharoor fans club with over 6,000 members is also active on the site.
Anupam Agarwal, one of the members of the club, wrote: 'If we continue to lose the few well-read and knowledgeable leaders who choose to come back home, then God save us from the abyss of Indian politics.'

Besides, a number of forums, online campaigns and blogs supporting Tharoor have also come up.One blog posted today by one Musthafa from Dubai asks: "Why was Shashi Tharoor sacked? Tell us the truth!"

It reads: Shashi Tharoor played a commendable role to bring the IPL team to Kochi... His experience, connections and professional and diplomatic skills helped him to achieve this. ... This is what we people expect from the MPs ... What has he done wrong here?".