New Delhi, June 20 -- Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday lashed out at former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, dismissing his criticism of the state's recent Budget as a "tired old set of ideological cliches."

The war of words erupted after Vijayan accused the United Democratic Front (UDF) government of abandoning "Nehruvian socialism" and "Left ideals."

Taking to X, Tharoor countered Vijayan's claims by highlighting the massive debt accumulated during the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) decade-long tenure.

"This tired old set of ideological cliches is all the Left can offer in response to Kerala's visionary Budget!" Tharoor posted.

Referring to Vijayan's assertion that the LDF combined welfare with growth,...