Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's Tuesday morning post on X - a photograph of himself with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and British Secretary of State for Trade Jonathan Reynolds, after a discussion on the India-UK trade deal - has added to buzz over his future with the party.
In his post a smiling Mr Tharoor - a four-time MP from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram - is seen standing with Mr Goyal, who sports a broad grin of his own, and Mr Reynolds.
"Good to exchange words with Jonathan Reynolds, Britain's Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the company of his Indian counterpart, Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal. The long-stalled FTA negotiations have been revived, which is most welcome."
The post follows an apparent souring of ties between Mr Tharoor and the Congress after he praised the policies of Kerala's ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front government.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front is the primary opposition in the state.
The party's local mouthpiece, Veekshanam Daily, slammed Mr Tharoor for praising the entrepreneurial growth of the state under the Left government. The publication said it was "suicidal" to weaken the Congress from within when the party is critiquing the failures of the LDF government.
READ | Congress In Kerala Criticises Shashi Tharoor For Praising Left Govt
The verbal attack followed an article by Mr Tharoor in an English daily in which he spoke positively about certain aspects of the state's development. He later explained he had not, in fact, praised the CPM, and had only tried to highlight Kerala's progress in the startup sector.
There was also criticism of Mr Tharoor's praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi; this was after United States President Donald Trump declared Mr Modi to be a "much tougher negotiator".
"To hear a man like Donald Trump, whose Defence Secretary called him 'the greatest negotiator in the world', announcing the Indian Prime Minister is a better negotiator... that sounds like something Mr Modi can put in the bank, that sounds very good," Mr Tharoor had said.
On that front, Mr Tharoor said he spoke with India's interests in mind, and pointed out, "We cannot always speak only in terms of the party's interest."
The die, though, had been cast.
Faced with a volley of questions from reporters, Mr Tharoor on Sunday shrugged off speculation about a rift between himself and the Congress. He was asked if "all is well between you and the party", to which he said "no comments at all" and deflected by pointing to the India-Pakistan cricket match.
READ | Go Watch India-Pak": Shashi Tharoor Shrugs Off Congress Rift Question
And, as the buzz grew, on Tuesday Mr Tharoor hit back, declaring, "If the party wants me... I will be there. If not, I have my own things to do. You should not think I don't have any options..."
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