Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Skips Key Strategy Meet Amid Reported Rift with Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, was conspicuously absent from a crucial high-level meeting convened by the party leadership to strategise for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections.

The meeting, which began at 2:30 pm in Delhi, was attended by Kerala Congress leaders alongside Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Tharoor's non-participation came after initial indications from sources close to him that he might join virtually. However, he ultimately skipped the session entirely, citing a prior commitment to attend the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode.

Tharoor's office confirmed that he had informed the party in advance of his unavailability due to the scheduling conflict. Despite this explanation, sources within the party suggested that his absence reflected deeper dissatisfaction. Reports indicate that Tharoor felt slighted over a perceived lack of "due respect" during Rahul Gandhi's recent visit to Kochi, where Gandhi reportedly acknowledged other senior leaders on stage but did not mention Tharoor by name, despite his presence on the dais.

This incident is seen as the latest flashpoint in the ongoing strained relationship between Tharoor and the Congress high command. The Thiruvananthapuram MP, a former diplomat, has faced criticism from within the party for past comments perceived as praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led government. These include his remarks on the handling of the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor, as well as occasional critiques of the Congress's internal challenges.

Such statements have repeatedly sparked backlash, with some party voices accusing Tharoor of positioning himself for a potential switch to the BJP—a charge he has firmly denied. In June last year, Tharoor said that he remained committed to the Congress and its ideology after 16 years, describing his praise for the Prime Minister as an expression of national unity rather than political opportunism.

The friction was further highlighted on Thursday when Tharoor shared a selfie on social media with Gautam Gambhir, the former BJP MP and current head coach of the Indian men's cricket team. In the post, Tharoor described Gambhir's role as "the second-hardest job in India, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi." BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla quickly responded, interpreting the comment as an implicit endorsement of Modi's leadership and accusing the opposition of unfairly second-guessing the Prime Minister while prioritising family interests over national ones. Poonawalla predicted yet another "Congress fatwa" against Tharoor.

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