Thiruvananthapuram:
A day after Congress MP from Thiruvanathapuram, Shashi Tharoor, issued a joint public statement with his wife Sunanda P Tharoor on his embarrassing Twitter fiasco, the Opposition-backed newspapers in Kerala carried the drama as their front page stories.
The Opposition - Left Democratic Front - has not seen this as a personal meltdown of Tharoors, but as a political knock turned into their favour. The CPI(M) has demanded an investigation by the Intelligence Bureau into Mr Tharoor's alleged connect with an "ISI agent" as claimed by his own wife through a tweet from her husband's account. The BJP, which is hoping for a fresh lease of life in Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with the Narendra Modi effect, has demanded Mr Tharoor's resignation after Sunanda P Tharoor's statement to media about taking "Tharoor's blame on her head during the IPL controversy".
Kodiyari Balakrishnan, CPI(M) Politburo member, has said these are not personal issues. "Its serious allegations by his wife himself and there has to be an intelligence bureau enquiry into these allegations."
The diplomat-turned-politician, who made his first and successful debut into Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram may well be aiming at seeking a re-election from the same constituency especially after ensuring a detailed public release of the records of all his work for his constituency in the past four-and-a-half-years, but sources within the Congress say his party men are already feeling the heat with the Opposition gunning at them with media reports.
But there is no turning back for Tharoor loyalists yet who swear by him saying, "Tharoor's personal issues cannot weigh down the work he has done for his constituency."
Pradeeth, a law college student from the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram says,"travelling to college used to be a challenge but with trains, speed rails which have been facilitated only by Shashi Tharoor, it's become so much easier."
Another fine arts student Adeesh says, "Kerala didn't have CBSE office - we had to travel to Chennai for even the smallest things. It's Thaoor who made it possible for Kerala to have an office. My vote is for Tharoor."