Rumblings of discontent between the Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party shot to fore on Saturday on ruling dispensation’s proposal to include Shashi Tharoor as one of the MPs to lead the multi-party delegation to globally expose Pak-sponsored terror.

Making a formal announcement today to dispatch multiple delegations of MPs from across the political spectrum to major world capitals for a diplomatic outreach to expose Pakistan’s hand in the recent Pahalgam terror attack and to mobilise global support against cross-border terrorism, the government named seven MPs including Shashi Tharoor and Supriya Sule to lead multi-party delegation.

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Besides Shashi Tharoor and Natioalist Congress Party (SP)’s Supriya Sule, the list includes Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Baijayant Panda, Janata Dal (United)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Eknath Shinde.

Taking serious exception to the government’s announcement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh dubbed the move as “dishonest” on part of the government.

“Giving four names, announcing another is dishonest,” Mr Ramesh said on his X handle.

“We were asked for names. We expected that the names we had given would be included….But when we saw the press release of PIB, we were surprised. I cannot say what will happen now. Asking four names, giving four names, and announcing another name is dishonest on the government’s part,” Mr Ramesh said asserting “It is possible that’ Mr Rijiju had talked to Rahul ji and Kharge even after the government had made up their mind, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. But what happened is dishonest, ” The Congress leader said.

Congress, which had on Friday consented to participate in the multi-party delegations “keeping national interest above all, ” had proposed the names of Anand Sharma, Gaurav Gogoi, Syed Naseer Hussain, and Raja Brar.

Jairam Ramesh asserted that all the people who are in Congress belong to Congress and that there is a “huge difference between being in Congress and being of Congress.”

He further said that the Congress party extended their support in everything, but today, when the names were announced, the party was “surprised.”

Reacting to Congress’s discontent, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya questioned as to why the Congress MP did not feature in their own list?

“No one can deny Shashi Tharoor’s eloquence, his long experience as a United Nations official, and his deep insights on matters of foreign policy. So why has the Congress Party — and Rahul Gandhi in particular — chosen not to nominate him for the multi-party delegations being sent abroad to explain India’s position on key issues,” Malviya said in a post on handle X.

“The Congress party’s choices to represent India at diplomatic meetings are not just intriguing — they are deeply questionable,” Mr Malviya further said in his post on X.

He also questioned the suitability of Congress’ — Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain and Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi — for such diplomatic assignments.

Meanwhile, Mr Tharoor said he was “honoured” to be chosen by the Government of India to lead one of the all-party delegation.

“I am honoured by the invitation of the Government of India to lead an all-party delegation to five key capitals, to present our nation’s point of view on recent events. When national interest is involved, and my services are required, I will not be found wanting. Jai Hind, ” Mr Tharoor said in a post on handle X.

According to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, these All-Party Delegations will be visiting important partner nations, including members of the United Nations Security Council, later this month likely from May 22 to June 1. The countries where the delegations will be dispatched include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Egypt, the United States, and Japan.

As per media reports other MPs expected to participate in the delegation include BJP’s Anurag Thakur, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, and Tejasvi Surya, Telugu Desam Party’s Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Congress’ Manish Tewari, and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Asaduddin Owaisi.