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Updated: Jul 29, 2019 20:19 IST

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday criticised author-turned party MP Shashi Tharoor’s statement that lack of clarity over party leadership after Rahul Gandhi’s exit was hurting the party.

PCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran and state opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said there was no vacuum in the party and they hope a new leader will emerge soon. “There is no confusion or ambiguity in the party. We want Rahul Gandhi to come back. Tharoor knows it well that Gandhi and Nehru families were associated with the party since its inception in 1885,” said the PCC chief.

“I don’t know what prompted him to say this. The party is surging ahead. There is no room for any confusion. We hope a new leader will emerge soon,” said Chennithala. Among 28 states, Kerala contributed maximum to the Congress kitty in the Lok Sabha elections held two months back. Out of 20 seats Congress-led UDF won 19 seats leaving only a single seat to the ruling CPI(M), Congress 15, Muslim League 2, RSP and Kerala Congress one each.

In an interview to a new agency on Sunday, Tharoor said he strongly backed Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s view that a young leader will be more suitable to lead the Congress party at this juncture. He also fired salvos at Congress Working Committee members and others saying it would be ideal to open up all key posts, including the CWC, and hold fresh elections to give legitimacy to incoming set of leaders.