New Delhi, July 21 -- Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who is likely to play a key role for the grand-old party in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, responded to reports about his senior colleague Shashi Tharoor's "rift" with the party leadership with a three-point answer.

In an interview with the Indian Express, Kanhaiya recalled his time with the Left Party (Communist Party of India) and said if anyone spoke outside the party forum, they were removed.

"They expelled veteran [CPI] leaders such as Somnath Chatterjee, PC Joshi," the NSUI in-charge said.

"But now I am in the Congress and the party has a certain beauty that you can continue to be in the party even if you say anything against the Gandhis. There is that much freedom," t...