Shashi Tharoor skips Congress strategy meeting, stays in Kerala during PM Modi programme

Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor will not attend the party’s crucial strategy meeting on the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for Friday, triggering fresh speculation about internal differences within the state unit. Tharoor, a four-time MP and member of the Congress Working Committee, will remain in Kerala instead of joining the meeting in Delhi.

According to reports, Tharoor is unhappy over recent developments, particularly an event held in Kochi on January 19 where Rahul Gandhi did not mention his name while acknowledging senior leaders on stage. Sources close to Tharoor said the incident added to his discomfort, following earlier instances where he allegedly felt sidelined by sections of the state leadership.

Tharoor’s office, however, maintained that his absence is due to prior commitments in Kozhikode linked to the Kerala Literature Festival, and that the party had been informed in advance. Party sources have also indicated that he had sought permission from the leadership to skip the meeting.

The issue has brought back focus on internal differences within the Kerala Congress, despite recent attempts to project unity. At the Lakshya 2026 leadership camp in Wayanad, efforts were made to address such concerns, and it was decided that Tharoor would focus on campaigning rather than contesting elections.

Tharoor has reportedly conveyed his concerns to senior leaders about the manner in which he was treated, while maintaining publicly that he continues to follow the party line. The Congress has not issued an official statement on the matter, even as discussions around party discipline and leadership coordination intensify ahead of the Kerala polls.