The rift between Shashi Tharoor and the Congress leadership appears to be deepening, fueling speculation about his future in the party. Tharoor, a four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has reportedly expressed interest in becoming Kerala’s chief minister, according to sources. This development comes amid increasing backlash from Congress leaders over his recent praise for both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Kerala LDF government’s industrial policies.
According to the Hindustan Times, this situation places the Congress high command in a difficult position as they face the potential consequences of losing a prominent leader ahead of crucial state elections.
Tharoor with BJP’s Piyush Goyal
Adding to the speculation, Tharoor’s recent post on X, where he is seen posing for a selfie with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and British Secretary of State for Trade Jonathan Reynolds, has further intensified discussions about his standing within the Congress party.
“Good to exchange words with Jonathan Reynolds, Britain’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the company of his Indian counterpart, Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal. The long-stalled FTA negotiations have been revived, which is most welcome,” Tharoor wrote on X.
Tharoor praised Kerala government’s economic policies and Modi’s meeting with Trump
Tharoor recently faced criticism from within his party after praising both the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Kerala government and PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump.
In a newspaper article published on February 14, Tharoor commended the economic policies of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s government. While the Left welcomed his remarks, Congress leaders expressed disapproval of his stance.
Later, Tharoor voiced rare praise for PM Modi after US President Trump called the Indian Prime Minister a “great leader.”
Tharoor downplays rift rumours with Congress
On Wednesday, Tharoor downplayed reports of a rift, stating that he has yet to understand the controversy surrounding his statements. His remarks come as Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, are set to meet Kerala leaders on Friday to address the issue.
“You all heard the podcast, what was the controversy about? I still haven’t understood the controversy… now that you have heard the whole podcast, can you tell me what your question is?” Tharoor told the media.
He also confirmed his attendance at the upcoming party meeting, saying, “A meeting of the party has been called on Friday, I will be there with everyone else.”
The speculation surrounding Tharoor’s future in Congress intensified after he appeared in a podcast where he hinted at alternative options if the party no longer needed his leadership. “If the party wants to use that, I will be there for the party. If not, I have my own things to do,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.
Tharoor also shared his views on what the Congress needs to do to win next year’s assembly elections, emphasizing the need to attract voters who typically do not support the party. He also pointed out a ‘lack of leadership’ within the Kerala Congress unit.