Till Saturday night there was no complaint against former union minister Shashi Tharoor before the Congress party's three-member disciplinary committee, even though the Kerala state unit had raised hackles against him for praising prime minister Narendra Modi. The committee comprising senior leaders Motilal Vohra, AK Antony and Sushil Kumar Shinde went into over action on Sunday morning following a phone call from the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who was of view that statement of Tharoor and others praising Modi were hitting party's core vote-bank. Senior leaders confide to dna that Rahul was more incensed that at a time, when Modi was calling for a "Congress Mukt (free) Bharat" and targeting their family directly, such statements were bound to bury the party's electoral and ideological fortunes.

A complaint was secured from the Kerala unit of Congress on Sunday morning to convey message to other leaders as well, that any praise of prime minister will not be tolerated. But another handicap for the committee which went into over action was that Shinde was busy campaigning in Maharashtra. But in a hurry to send a strong message and discipline leaders, the committee burying all the procedures recommended that Tharoor be sacked from the panel of spokespersons, short of expelling him from the party. Congress president Sonia Gandhi put a stamp on the order in the evening. The events have been also confirmed by Tharoor, himself, who in a statement said he was never given an opportunity to clarify his position. He, however, went on to say that he was "now treating this matter as closed and have no further comment to make."

A senior member of the committee on Saturday evening had told reporters that they were yet to meet and decide about the action against Tharoor for praising Modi and accepting his invitation to participate in 'Swachh Bharat' campaign. The member said they were still awaiting a report from the Kerala unit of the party. Vohra also on Saturday evening said:"We have yet not received the complaint from either side so far. If it comes to us, we will see it."

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) had few days back decided to submit a report to the high command seeking action against the Thiruvanathapuram MP Shashi Tharoor. As per practice the state unit first sends a complaint to the AICC general secretary in-charge of the state, who then forwards it to the directly to the disciplinary action committee. The report is considered by the committee, which as a first step sends a show cause notice to the erring member, says the Congress leaders.

The party, however, made it clear that Tharoor sacking as party spokesman had nothing to do with the controversial death of his wife in January this year. While removing the party MP and former union minister Tharoor from the panel of AICC spokespersons, the party left no doubts that it was a disciplinary action on a complaint by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.

In a press release on his Facebook account, Tharoor said: "Whatever responsibilities the party has entrusted to me I have fulfilled without reservation, and I fully recognise it is the prerogative of the party to alter these responsibilities." In a polite rebuttal, he, however, stressed that he was never given an opportunity to clarify but went on to say that he was "now treating this matter as closed and have no further comment to make."

What had Tharror said in praise of ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the United Nations drew applause from Congress spokesperson Shashi Tharoor . "Strong speech by @PMOIndia at #UNGA2014. Soaring internationalism, support for democracy & environment, anti-terrorism. Good reply to Pak," Tharoor said on Twitter.

KPCC welcomes Tharoor's sackingThiruvananthapruam: Congress leadership in Kerala has welcomed the party president Sonia Gandhi's decision to remove Shashi Tharoor from the post of party spokesman. Many leaders in the State claim that the action is on the expected line."It is an appropriate decision and gives a message to party rank and file and leaders that no one is above the party. All should follow the party line irrespective of their fame or social standing,'' said PCC president VS Sudheeran.Expressing similar sentiment, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the party cannot compromise on discipline, especially at a time when it is working hard to regain the space it lost in the national politics.A shaken Tharoor said that the party had taken action against him without hearing his version. He did not see the PCC's report and had, he would have given his explanation. ``Now it is a closed chapter and a being a disciplined party worker, I accept party president's decision.''As the spokesman tag has been stripped off, Tharoor is just an ordinary member now in the Congress. He is not a member in any decision making body of the party.