New Delhi | Special Correspondent: Arun Sharma

With the Kerala Assembly elections approaching, the Congress high command appears keen to put its house in order. Party sources indicate that senior leaders may initiate talks with Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor following his absence from a key strategy meeting on the state polls, which triggered speculation within political circles.


The meeting, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, was attended by top party functionaries from Kerala. Tharoor’s absence, however, was seen by many as politically significant, coming at a time when the party is striving to project unity and sharpen its electoral strategy in the state.


Tharoor has clarified that he was in Kozhikode attending the Kerala Literature Festival and had informed the party in advance about his inability to attend the meeting. He has also acknowledged that he has certain concerns regarding party functioning, which he wishes to raise with the leadership.


Sources within the party suggest that the Congress brass believes Tharoor’s outreach among urban voters, youth and the English-educated middle class could play an important role in the run-up to the elections. At the same time, there are sections within the organisation that view his independent stance on several national issues with unease.


Political observers note that after a relatively strong showing by the Opposition in recent local body elections, the Congress is unwilling to allow internal differences to undermine its prospects against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The leadership, therefore, appears inclined towards engagement rather than escalation.


Whether the proposed outreach leads to a lasting reconciliation or merely a temporary truce remains to be seen. For now, it is clear that the Congress is keen to ensure that the “Tharoor factor” does not become a distraction in a high-stakes electoral battle in Kerala.