THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shashi Tharoor, who is preparing to contest for the post of AICC president, has received a setback with the majority of leaders in Kerala declaring that they will only stand with Rahul Gandhi and the Nehru family in the presidential election. Several Congress leaders in Kerala have begun openly objecting to Tharoor's candidature.

There are mutterings within the party that Tharoor has kept the Kerala leaders in the dark regarding his moves for the election. Leaders, including K Muraleedharan and Kodikunnil Suresh, made public their opposition to Tharoor's candidature on Tuesday. KPCC president K Sudhakaran, who initially had no objection to Tharoor contesting, also changed his stance. There is also a strong feeling that having a person from outside the Nehru family as president will adversely affect the Congress.