Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the CPI on Tuesday, saying that it is ironic that the Left party which complains about Rahul Gandhi’s candidature in Wayanad is “playing the BJP’s game” in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram said the only effect of the CPI’s campaign against him in the constituency is to divide the anti-BJP vote, “and they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad”.

Tharoor, who has been representing Thiruvananthapuram for the past 15 years in the Lok Sabha, is eyeing a record fourth term.

He is facing BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Electronics and Information Technology. The CPI has fielded Pannian Raveendran in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat.

In a post on X, Tharoor said, “It’s ironic that the same @cpofindia that complains about @RahulGandhi’s candidature in Wayanad is playing the BJP’s game in Thiruvananthapuram.”

“The only effect of the CPI’s campaign against me in Thiruvananthapuram is to divide the anti-BJP vote. And they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad!” the former Union minister said.