What next for Congress as Tharoor skips crucial party meet; remains in state instead

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and Thiruvanthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has once again stirred controversy after missing a key strategy meeting of the party to discuss the upcoming Kerala assembly polls, indicating his displeasure over the party’s functioning.

However, Tharoor’s absence on Friday comes a few days after he was reportedly ‘ignored’ by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the party’s “Mahapanchayat” organized in Kochi, Kerala, on January 19.

Rahul Gandhi had entered the venue while Tharoor was addressing the Maha Panchayat. While Gandhi, along with KC Venugopal, greeted multiple party leaders, a direct greeting to Tharoor was not given.

Tharoor felt “deeply insulted” as Gandhi mentioned several other leaders on stage but not him, despite his presence. The Congress party denied any internal issues, stating Tharoor had prior commitments at the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode.

“Dr Tharoor is in Calicut for the Kerala Literature Festival, Asia’s Biggest Literary Festival. He is speaking on his latest book on Sree Narayana Guru. He had informed the party that he won’t make it,” according to the Congress MP’s office.

However, Tharoor reportedly did attend the Prime Minister’s event in Thiruvananthapuram, where PM Modi inaugurated multiple Bharat trains.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting was attended by multiple party leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, party General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, Deepa Dasmunshi, Meira Kumar and others in Delhi.

However, Congress leaders have informed that there is “no difference of opinion” with Tharoor and the central leadership.

“He spoke to the leaders about that, and I guess the leaders have given his permission to be there. This is not about him skipping the meeting. It is an important literary festival in Kerala that he attends every year. This is about our pathway ahead,” said party leader Shafi Parambil.

“It is also very important for the party and for us, so he is releasing that (his book), that is why he sent us a message. Party is his priority, he was just in an event with Rahul,” said Deepa Dasmunshi, AICC General Secretary.

When asked if Tharoor is ‘angry’ with the leadership, she added, “No, no, nothing like that. Tharoor is very happy with the Congress party and the central leadership; there is no difference of opinion on this.” (ANI)

Also Read: Whatever issues, I would’ve to discuss them with party leadership: Shashi Tharoor