Tharoor claims more visibility for city

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘’You have not elected a Chief Executive Officer, you have elected an MP,’’ That was not just a reminder from Shashi Tharoor MP but a plea to show mercy on him. This when he was showered with queries over the promises he made during the election campaign, at the first tweetup held in the city.

 Tharoor who arrived half an hour late from KPCC Bhavan, was greeted with a three-page write-up from a blogger who had taken pains to jot down his 27 election promises. If not for all, Tharoor made sure he answered the valid ones.

 “The utmost I can do is to push things forward using my command, which I am doing,’’ he said. ‘’Knocking on doors that were previously closed or getting things done using my influence but beyond my authority.’’ He said he had done his bit in major issues such as the Vizhinjam project and the High Court Bench but, it was up to the State Government to take things forward.

 ‘’I hope next time the city gets a more decent Corporation rule. The CPM has taken it to the rocks with their decade-old rule in the city, lacking will for development,’’ he said. In a veiled attack, he reacted to M.A.Baby’s comment that students who use ferry to go to schools must learn swimming.

 Given the condition of roads in the city, I think everyone should learn swimming,’’ he said.

 To the question from a blogger on the utilisation of MP fund, he said he would publish the list once the Collector has vetted and approved it. ‘’You cannot do major things with MP fund, but you can do small projects. So I have divided the whole amount of Rs 2 crore among the seven constituencies,’’ he said. Tharoor shed his modesty to claim that Trivandrum got visibility once he took up the mantle of the capital city’s MP chair. So far seven foreign Ambassadors have visited the city and very soon Barcelona Twin City dreams will bear fruit, he said.

 He evaded questions on Muraleedharan’s comeback to UDF saying that there were better-equipped persons to look into such matters.

 Then came the much-awaited questions on using twitter. ‘’It’s a pity that political parties do not see this as a tool for communication. I had my initial qualms too, but perhaps I am the most open person in twitter which explains why I meet with controversies,’’ he said.

 By using twitter, the MP claimed to have attracted more middle-class professionals to politics, who otherwise preferred to stay away. ‘’It’s a realistic way to get your word out to the public. It’s a broadcast medium, I reply to six or seven tweets a day,’’ he said.

 To the young turnout at the venue, Tharoor said that he had earlier mooted the idea of TCAN (Trivandrum Citizens Action Network) to Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce, but nothing had happened since. Form such groups, be active and do something for the city, he told them. And gave an extra piece of advice: ‘’Why don’t you join Youth Congress. Youth are not just for putting up posters, you can do much better things,’’ he said.

 Tharoor was presented by the twitter-users with a caricature of his, done by a blogger in Kochi. He also inaugurated a website to list consumer complaints in Malayalam created by Trivandrum Bloggers Group.  

 There was an anti-climax to the tweetup. Tharoor had a narrow escape from Yuva Morcha activists who were on their way to the venue at Hotel Geeth International to gherao him. (Yet another Tharoor controversy on the national song). They were only steps away from the venue when Tharoor’s car sped away to the next destination.  

trivandrum@expressbuzz.com