New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, expressed his views on the split in the Trinamool Congress in an exclusive interview with IANS. “Look, frankly, I don’t think anyone has any very serious doubt that either some inducements, some incentives or some threats have been involved. And that can only come from the ruling party because they have the power,” Tharoor said.

Referring to the decision by the rebel MPs to back the NDA, he said that politics in India has turned into politics without principles.

“Also, as you know, the biggest group that split away, namely the 20 MPs of the Trinamool Congress, have openly said they will now align with the NDA. These are the same party MPs who have been attacking the NDA day in and day out for the last 12 years. So, suddenly, to find all this virtue suggests that our country’s politics has become a politics without principles. And that is rather sad…,” he told IANS.

Soon after the Trinamool Congress suffered a major setback in the West Bengal Assembly elections, managing to win only 80 seats, the split in the party began.

The first to rebel were 58 MLAs who refused to accept Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha.

Trouble started in Parliament soon after.

While three Rajya Sabha MPs quit, 20 Lok Sabha MPs announced their decision to join the Nationalist Citizens Party and support the NDA. Tharoor said that it is fine to have convictions, but the ultimate aim should be to work in the interest of the country.

“Have your convictions, work constructively together. I have always said the other side is not your enemy; they are your adversary, and your job is to work for the collective interest of the country,” the Congress leader told IANS.

“You feel your way is better than their way, and that is the way politics should be. But, certainly, to be in politics you must have a vision of what is better for India, to create a better India and to create a better society. That is the logic of being in politics,” the former diplomat said.

–IANS

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