An upset Shashi Tharoor stays away from Rahul Gandhi’s key Congress meet in Kerala

Tensions between Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and his party surfaced again on Thursday, providing fresh ammunition for the BJP to target its main rival. Amid reports of his displeasure with Rahul Gandhi, Tharoor skipped a key Congress meeting meant to prepare for the Kerala Assembly elections later this year.

Tharoor skips key Congress strategy meeting

Shashi Tharoor stayed away from the high-level Congress meeting that began at 2.30 pm in Delhi. The meeting brought together Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leaders from the Kerala unit. As a four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor was expected to attend despite strained ties with the leadership.

Sources initially suggested Tharoor might join virtually. However, he skipped the meeting entirely. People close to him said a prior commitment at a literature festival in Kozhikode prevented his participation. They added that Tharoor had informed the party in advance about his unavailability.

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Uneasy ties with party leadership

Relations between Tharoor and the Congress central leadership have remained tense in recent months. Party leaders have viewed him as being on thin ice after remarks that appeared to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government.

These comments included his assessment of the government’s handling of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, as well as occasional public criticism of the Congress leadership. Several party leaders responded sharply, even suggesting Tharoor was positioning himself for a switch to the BJP. Tharoor has repeatedly denied such claims and has said he remains committed to the Congress and its ideology.

BJP seizes moment to attack Congress

The BJP quickly used the latest episode to target the Congress. Tharoor posted a selfie with former BJP MP and current Indian cricket team coach Gautam Gambhir, praising him for handling “the second-hardest job in India” after the Prime Minister.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla seized on the remark. He linked Tharoor’s comments to what he described as the opposition’s habit of second-guessing Prime Minister Modi. Poonawalla also predicted further internal backlash against Tharoor from within the Congress, pointing to growing friction between the MP and his party.

The episode underlined persistent unease within the Congress and highlighted divisions that the BJP continues to exploit publicly.

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