Shashi Tharoor skipped another crucial Congress party meeting on Tuesday afternoon at Sonia Gandhi’s residence.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor was attending a literature festival in Dubai instead of participating. This marks his second major absence in just four days from critical discussions. Party insiders are whispering louder about his future with Congress these days.
The meeting focused on preparing for the upcoming Parliament budget session starting soon. Leaders planned to question the BJP about the G-RAM-G jobs guarantee scheme implementation. Top brass including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi attended the discussion. Senior leaders like P Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh, and Manish Tewari were present too. Only Tharoor’s chair sat empty while important strategies got discussed without him.
Pattern of Shashi Tharoor Absences Raising Eyebrows
Last week, Shashi Tharoor missed crucial discussions about the April Kerala Assembly elections happening. He’s been the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP since 2009. He is representing Congress loyally. But Kerala’s election strategy was planned without input from its star MP. Sources say he informed the party about his Dubai commitment beforehand.
Between November and December, Shashi Tharoor skipped three separate party meetings without explanations. His literature festival commitments always seem to clash with Congress schedules conveniently. Last week’s Kerala meeting saw confusion about whether he’d attend virtually or not. Initial reports suggested he was upset and wouldn’t participate at all anywhere. Then sources claimed he’d join via video from a Kochi literature festival. Ultimately, he didn’t show up there either. That leaves everyone guessing his intentions.
The former diplomat’s relationship with Rahul Gandhi appears strained over respect issues reportedly. Tharoor felt slighted during Rahul’s recent Kerala visit according to party insiders. This perceived disrespect from the Gandhi family heir has created visible tension. The absence pattern suggests deeper problems beyond just scheduling conflicts happening here.
The Praise That Started Controversy
Shashi Tharoor troubles began when he praised Prime Minister Modi and the BJP publicly. He complimented Modi’s handling of the Pahalgam terror attack in April last year. Operation Sindoor’s strikes against Pakistan also earned Tharoor’s appreciation for the government’s action. These comments infuriated Congress leadership, who expect party discipline from elected representatives.
Fellow Congress members accused him of eyeing a switch to the BJP openly. Shashi Tharoor denied these allegations in June by emphasising his 16 years with Congress. He framed his praise as national unity transcending party politics completely. But his answers didn’t help party hardliners who required loyalty over nationalism.
The debate flared when Tharoor posted a selfie with Gautam Gambhir praising him. Comparing Gambhir’s role to Modi’s didn’t sit well with Congress. BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla jumped in criticizing Tharoor for undermining national interests weirdly. The former cricket star turned politician became a flashpoint in this drama.
Rumours spread that Tharoor is joining Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) and not the BJP. Monday, we noticed him giving “no comments” when journalists asked about it. CPI(M) leader MV Govindan brushed off it as a baseless theory from the media. But the fact that questions get asked shows how far trust has eroded.
Kerala Elections Complicate Everything
Congress won’t take disciplinary action against Tharoor despite his repeated absences currently. Kerala elections in April make him too valuable to alienate right now. His voters have an impact on Thiruvananthapuram remains sturdy among the educated middle-class there. Reports say he’s eyeing the CM post if the UDF alliance wins.
Tharoor’s competition KC Venugopal is Rahul Gandhi’s best friend. This complicates internal Kerala dynamics. Venugopal serves as the national general secretary by wielding extensive power over state subjects. This standoff between two classy Kerala Congress leaders weakens party unity ahead of vital polls.
His inputs in the 2022 G-23 letter asking for a leadership overhaul still haunt relationships. That letter to Sonia Gandhi questioned the Gandhi family’s dominance over Congress. Many G-23 members have since left the party or been sidelined completely. Tharoor remains under constant suspicion from loyalists protecting the Gandhis.
VD Satheesan, Leader of Opposition, denied knowing about any issues Shashi Tharoor caused. Congress wants to build on recent municipal election victories without internal drama derailing momentum.
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