Congress Leadership Holds Crucial Meeting With Shashi Tharoor Ahead of Kerala Polls
In a significant development within the Congress party, president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi finally met with senior leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday. The meeting, which lasted for over an hour and forty-five minutes, was described by PTI sources as a detailed "redressal" session aimed at addressing internal concerns ahead of the crucial Kerala assembly elections.
Meeting Held Amid Party Concerns Over Kerala Messaging
The gathering took place in Kharge's chamber within the Parliament House complex, coming at a time when party leaders were growing increasingly concerned that the Tharoor episode could potentially snowball into a larger messaging problem in Kerala. The Congress is pushing hard to return to power in the state after spending a decade in opposition, making internal unity absolutely critical.
Emerging from the lengthy discussion, Tharoor struck a deliberately upbeat tone when speaking to reporters. "We had a discussion with my two party leaders, the LoP and the Congress president. We had a very good, constructive, positive discussion," he stated emphatically. Shutting down recent speculations about internal discord, he added, "All is good and we are moving together on the same page. What more can I say."
Comprehensive Discussion and Social Media Reinforcement
Sources familiar with the meeting told news agency PTI that it was "comprehensive" in nature, covering "a wide array of subjects" with Kharge and Gandhi making "the time necessary for a thorough discussion." Tharoor later reinforced the apparent truce with a post on social media platform X, thanking both leaders for a "warm and constructive discussion" and repeating the now-official line that they were "all on the same page" as the party moves forward "in the service of the people of India."
A photograph from the meeting showing Tharoor, Rahul Gandhi, and Kharge smiling together was promptly circulated on social media platforms, visually reinforcing the message of unity.
What Wasn't Discussed: The Chief Ministerial Face
When questioned by reporters about whether the issue of the chief ministerial face for Kerala was discussed during the meeting, Tharoor attempted to close that door firmly. "That was never the issue," he stated categorically, adding: "I am not interested in being the candidate for anything. At the moment I am already an MP ... I have their interest to look after in Parliament, that is my job."
Background of the Meeting
The meeting comes after Tharoor was reportedly upset about the treatment meted out to him at a recent Kochi event and what his camp perceived as attempts by some state leaders to sideline him. The immediate tipping point, according to sources close to him, was Rahul Gandhi allegedly not acknowledging Tharoor on stage at the 'Maha Panchayath' in Kochi on January 19, even while mentioning other leaders present.
Tharoor, a four-time MP and one of the Congress Working Committee members from Kerala, was present on the dais during that event. Soon after the perceived snub, he notably skipped a key Kerala strategy meeting chaired by Kharge, triggering widespread speculation that internal tensions were deepening at precisely the wrong political moment.
Political Context and Future Implications
The Congress is seeking to wrest power from the Left Democratic Front after ten years in opposition in Kerala. In this crucial electoral backdrop, the last thing the party leadership can afford is the spectacle of internal rivalries, especially when the Bharatiya Janata Party is also attempting to expand its footprint in the state and the LDF remains organizationally tight.
A senior Congress source told PTI that the "proof of the pudding will be in the eating" and that the next few weeks will demonstrate whether the "same page" line translates into actual political coordination on the ground. The party faces the challenging task of presenting a united front while navigating complex state politics ahead of the assembly elections.
