I was punished for no fault: Shashi Tharoor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shashi Tharoor, re-inducted into the Manmohan Singh government after two years, said on Monday that he was dropped earlier from the ministry for no fault of his.

Tharoor made the comment after hundreds of supporters gave him a rousing welcome as he landed here after Sunday's swearing in ceremony in Delhi. Tharoor is the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram.

"I think old wounds have healed. I now have a portfolio through which I can do good for the country and the state," said the new minister of state for human resource development.

"A lot can be done because education and training come under my portfolio. I assure you I will do my best," a beaming Tharoor told the media.

Tharoor's re-entry into the council of minister came as a surprise to many in Kerala. Leaders of the Congress in the state had said that Tharoor stood no chance of becoming a central minister.

"In his first tenure, there were glaring shortcomings in his office here," said a Congress leader here.

"His office appeared to keep people at bay. We hope he has learnt his lessons," he said.

In 2009, Tharoor was inducted as minister of state in the external affairs ministry.

Among those excited by Tharoor's re-entry into the ministry are young techies at the Technopark here.

"We have had the joy of hearing him speak when he visited our company. Believe me, we became his instant fans," said one of them.