Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor held a two-hour meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. The meeting is being seen as an attempt by the party leadership to reset ties with Tharoor after months of visible strain.
The meeting followed a fresh flashpoint last week. Tharoor had skipped a key meeting of the All India Congress Committee with senior Kerala leaders in Delhi to finalise strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections. His absence once again revived speculation about his standing within the party and fuelled talk of discontent between Tharoor and the Congress leadership.
However, after Thursday’s closed-door meeting, Tharoor struck a notably conciliatory tone. “We had a discussion with my two party leaders, with the LOP and Congress president. We had a very good, constructive discussion. All is good, and we are moving forward together on the same page,” he told reporters.
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Out of sync since last few months
Over the past few months, Tharoor and the Congress establishment have appeared to be out of sync on multiple issues, ranging from internal organisational matters to broader political positioning. This has contributed to a perception, especially in political circles and on social media, that Tharoor is increasingly isolated within the party.
According to an Indian Express report, Tharoor had been feeling miffed and increasingly unwanted in a party he once aspired to lead. The report stated that the leadership used the meeting to reassure him of his importance, particularly with Kerala emerging as a crucial electoral battleground for the party.
What happened during the two-hour meeting?
The IE report further reported a source as saying that Rahul Gandhi “insisted” that Tharoor should campaign for the (Congress-led) UDF in Kerala for the assembly election. “Rahul Gandhi did most of the talking in the meeting. He insisted that the party needs Tharoor and that he should campaign for the (Congress-led) UDF in Kerala for the assembly election. He has assured him that Tharoor will be kept in the loop for all the major party decisions in Kerala. Rahul ji told him that the Congress has to work together and win Kerala,” the IE report quoted the source.
Tharoor himself underlined that tensions had eased. “Issues are sorted out,” he told Indian Express after the meeting at Kharge’s office in Parliament House.
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Later, speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Tharoor sought to quell speculation that the talks revolved around leadership ambitions in the state. Asked whether there was any discussion on the chief ministerial candidate for Kerala, he said, “No. That was never the issue. Frankly, I am not interested in being a candidate for anything. I am an MP, and I have the trust of voters in Parliament. That is my job.”
The timing of the rapprochement is significant. Among the states heading for Assembly elections in the coming months, Kerala is widely seen within the Congress as its strongest opportunity for a comeback. Against this backdrop, Tharoor’s stature, visibility and appeal beyond traditional party lines make him a valuable asset. |
