Tharoor takes jibe at Congress as INDIA bloc falters in Bihar

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 14 Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, on Friday, took pointed jabs at his own party as early vote-count trends show a dismal performance for the INDIA alliance in Bihar.

While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is seen leading by a significant margin, Tharoor while speaking to the media questioned key aspects of the electoral outcome.

"It's a question of leading at the moment... let's wait for the Election Commission to discuss and disclose the results," he told reporters, adding that all parties -- including Congress and RJD -- must study their performance in detail.

"One has to look in totality as during elections there are a number of factors. Lot of issues have to be looked, let us analyse what happened. I was not invited to campaign there, so those who went there will know better what happened there," Tharoor added.

He also mentioned that the senior ally in Bihar was not the Congress party.

Tharoor also blamed the NDA government for reportedly offering benefits to women voters just before the Model Code of Conduct came into force.

"Whether we like it or not... that is legal under our laws... I am afraid this is not the first time that we have seen state governments doing such things, giving benefits to certain segments of society," he said, citing similar practices in Maharashtra.

His comments come amid early polling trends that suggest the INDIA bloc is genuinely hurt by Congress's lacklustre showing.

According to media reports, the party is only leading on about five seats out of the 61 it contested.

Incidentally, this is not the first time that Tharoor's jabes have come, as of late he has been doing this at regular intervals creating much heartburn, especially in Kerala, where the Congress is fighting the CPI-M and the BJP.

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