Held discussions with Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, moving together on the same page, says Tharoor

NEW DELHI: The relationship between the Congress leadership and Shashi Tharoor has been under strain recently. Tharoor had earlier said that he would tell the party leadership what he had to say. Meanwhile, Tharoor held direct discussions with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi today. He met the two leaders at the Parliament House. National media said Tharoor had a 90-minute meeting with the two.

In a post on X, Tharoor said, ‘We had a discussion with my two party leaders, the LoP and the Congress president. We had a very good, constructive, positive discussion. All is good, and we are moving together on the same page. What more can I say?...I have always campaigned for the party, where have I not campaigned?...’ ‘No, that was never discussed. I am not interested in being a candidate for anything. At the moment, I am already an MP, and I have the trust of my voters from Thiruvananthapuram. I have to look after their interests in Parliament, that is my job..,’ he says when asked if Kerala CM was discussed.

Tharoor had the other day denied media reports claiming that he had held discussions in Dubai with a businessman from Kerala linked with the CPM. ‘Allegations of holding discussions in Dubai are media created. Creating news for your food. What I have to say will be conveyed to the party leadership,’ clarified Tharoor. The party is trying to take into account the opinions expressed by Tharoor to Kharge and Rahul today even before the upcoming elections.

The ties between Tharoor and the Congress leadership have been on shaky ground following the opinions of the former after the Pahalgam attack in last April. Tharoor had then congratulated the Prime Minister for implementing Operation Sindoor. The relationship deteriorated again when the BJP invited Tharoor to convey India's stand to friendly countries on the issue. Tharoor had accepted this invitation. Moreover, Tharoor was the one who led the group.

Tharoor's article on family roots in Indian politics also caused displeasure with the Congress leadership. Tharoor was one of the senior leaders who wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi for a change in the Congress leadership in 2022. He later got contested the party presidential election. Kharge, who was supported by the Nehru family, became the president with 84 percent of the votes. However, Tharoor managed to get more than 11 percent of the votes.