Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Skips Key Party Meeting, Blames Late Invitation
Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has once again missed a crucial gathering of his party, fueling ongoing speculation about his standing within the grand old party. The latest absence occurred on Tuesday, when Tharoor did not attend a meeting of the Congress' parliamentary strategy group, which was convened by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi.
Late Invitation Clashes With Pre-Booked Dubai Travel
Addressing reporters, Tharoor clarified his absence, stating that the invitation for the Tuesday meeting reached him only a day or two prior to the event. By that time, he had already finalized and booked tickets for a pre-planned visit to Dubai. "As for not attending today's meeting, the invitation came only yesterday or the day before, by which time my travel plans were already finalised," Tharoor explained. He further noted that with the Budget session of Parliament commencing on Wednesday, he had booked his return ticket directly from Dubai to Delhi to ensure his presence for the parliamentary proceedings.
Meeting Aimed at Strategizing for Parliament's Budget Session
The meeting, held just before the start of the Budget session, was intended to deliberate and decide on the key issues the Congress party plans to raise during the parliamentary session. Sources within the party confirmed that Tharoor, the four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram who has held the seat since 2009, could not attend as he was returning from Dubai. They added that the former diplomat had informed the party in advance about his inability to be present at the strategy huddle.
Tharoor to Convey Issues Directly to Top Leadership
Despite missing the collective strategy session, Tharoor expressed confidence in having his voice heard. "Whatever issues I need to raise, I will convey them directly to the party leadership. There is no doubt that I will get that opportunity, especially since everyone will be together during the Parliament session," he told reporters. This statement underscores his intent to engage directly with the Congress top brass, bypassing the missed group discussion.
Context of Recent Tensions Within the Party
Tharoor's latest absence comes against a backdrop of reported tensions between him and the Congress leadership. In recent months, his repeated praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government has reportedly irked party colleagues, leading to perceptions that he is being "sidelined" from key party affairs. Notably, Tharoor has been particularly vocal in his support for the government regarding Operation Sindoor, the five-day India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025.
This stance contrasts sharply with the Congress party's official position, which has repeatedly sought to corner the Centre over alleged losses of Indian fighter jets during the conflict and over former US President Donald Trump's claims of having mediated the truce between the two nuclear-armed rivals. These divergent views have added to the speculation surrounding Tharoor's role and future within the Congress party, making his absences from important meetings a subject of heightened political interest.
