What happened to Messi will repeat if you underestimate Tharoor, says K Muraleedharan

Thiruvananthapuram: Criticising the opposition leader V.D. Satheeshan's take on Sashi Tharoor, K. Muraleedharan, senior congress leader and MP from Kerala said that no one should underestimate anyone and if done so, then what happened to Messi will repeat, referring to the shocking loss of Argentina to Saudi Arabia in the World Cup on Tuesday.

"None should underestimate anyone, as if it's done, then what happened to Messi will happen. In the Congress, right from the days of Nehru, diplomats have been given huge space in the party," said Muraleedharan, who during the presidential polls put his money with the official candidate.

Muraleedharan also stated that Tharror has his place in the party.

The controversy was sparked by the opposition leader V.D. Satheeshan taking a dig at Tharoor. Without mentioning Tharoor's name he referred him as a creation of the media, and compared to "a balloon, which will burst with a prick of a pin", unlike others leaders in the state unit of the party who are there to stay. The criticism against Tharoor was made on the grounds of his Malabar tour.

Tharoor sprang a surprise when he took off on his own to north Kerala districts with the full support of Kozhikode Congress Lok Sabha member M.K.Raghavan, but despite a section of the Congress party keeping away, his meetings got good response.

Though he lost the party's presidential poll, the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha member managed to gain more supporters not just in the civil society, but also in the party.

In the past few days, Tharoor called on Indian Union Muslim League supremo on his visit to Malabar and that too turned out to be a success and on Wednesday he came calling on the Catholic bishop at Tellicherry in Kannur.

A beaming Tharoor soon after the meeting told the media that he has no complaints against anyone.

Now the action moves over to Delhi, where the national leadership of the party is likely to take up the Kerala issue.

-IANS Inputs