<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The pro-development stand of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a> leader Shashi Tharoor seems to have stirred up a hornet's nest in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) with some leaders continuing to attack him, while some top leaders were refraining from attacking Tharoor.</p><p>Despite resentment within the party, Tharoor refused to correct his remarks praising the growth of start-ups in Kerala under the left-front government. He however highlighted the efforts by the previous Congress government led by Oommen Chandy in initiating start-ups in the state.</p><p>A section of Congress leaders stepped up their attack by even suggesting that Tharoor should step down from Congress Working Committee if he wants to make such independent comments. "If Tharoor wants to express his opinions freely it will be better that he keeps off from the CWC," said veteran Congress leader and UDF convenor M M Hassan.</p><p>Tharoor reacted that if such a formal demand came up he would consider it. He also added that he made the remarks about the growth of start-ups in Kerala on the basis of Global Startup Ecosystem report and not based on any documents of the CPM government.</p>.Shashi Tharoor clarifies he praised Kerala's startup growth, not CPI(M)-led govt.<p>"I would never say that all the CPM government is doing is helping the state's growth. It was the Congress government led by Oommen Chandy who made the initial steps for the growth of start-ups by setting up the Start-up Village and Start-up Mission. The left-front government that succeeded could take it forward," said Tharoor.</p><p>Another section in the party is learnt to be backing Tharoor's pro-development stature. Interestingly, Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran as well as the Indian Union Muslim League, which is the second largest party in the UDF, are yet to make any direct attack against Tharoor on the matter.</p><p> While Sudhakaran stated that the left-front government was making exaggerated claims on the number of industrial units opened in Kerala, IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty, who was industries minister in the Oommen Chandy government, highlighted the industrial growth during his term.</p><p>With the local body polls scheduled to take place this year and assembly polls next year, CPM leaders have already started using Tharoor's remarks for their political gains.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The pro-development stand of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/congress">Congress</a> leader Shashi Tharoor seems to have stirred up a hornet's nest in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) with some leaders continuing to attack him, while some top leaders were refraining from attacking Tharoor.</p><p>Despite resentment within the party, Tharoor refused to correct his remarks praising the growth of start-ups in Kerala under the left-front government. He however highlighted the efforts by the previous Congress government led by Oommen Chandy in initiating start-ups in the state.</p><p>A section of Congress leaders stepped up their attack by even suggesting that Tharoor should step down from Congress Working Committee if he wants to make such independent comments. "If Tharoor wants to express his opinions freely it will be better that he keeps off from the CWC," said veteran Congress leader and UDF convenor M M Hassan.</p><p>Tharoor reacted that if such a formal demand came up he would consider it. He also added that he made the remarks about the growth of start-ups in Kerala on the basis of Global Startup Ecosystem report and not based on any documents of the CPM government.</p>.Shashi Tharoor clarifies he praised Kerala's startup growth, not CPI(M)-led govt.<p>"I would never say that all the CPM government is doing is helping the state's growth. It was the Congress government led by Oommen Chandy who made the initial steps for the growth of start-ups by setting up the Start-up Village and Start-up Mission. The left-front government that succeeded could take it forward," said Tharoor.</p><p>Another section in the party is learnt to be backing Tharoor's pro-development stature. Interestingly, Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran as well as the Indian Union Muslim League, which is the second largest party in the UDF, are yet to make any direct attack against Tharoor on the matter.</p><p> While Sudhakaran stated that the left-front government was making exaggerated claims on the number of industrial units opened in Kerala, IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty, who was industries minister in the Oommen Chandy government, highlighted the industrial growth during his term.</p><p>With the local body polls scheduled to take place this year and assembly polls next year, CPM leaders have already started using Tharoor's remarks for their political gains.</p>