NEW DELHI:  Congress MP Shashi Tharoor did not attend a meeting convened by the Congress high command in Delhi on Friday to discuss the party’s preparations for the Kerala assembly elections. Tharoor’s absence sparked speculation that he was upset with Rahul Gandhi due to perceived disrespect. However, Congress sources later said that Tharoor had sought permission from the high command to skip the meeting to remain in Kerala for the Prime Minister’s program.
Congress sources said that Tharoor wanted to be present in his constituency, Thiruvananthapuram, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roadshow and rally on Friday. Earlier, sources had indicated that Tharoor skipped the Delhi meeting because he felt “humiliated” at a Mahapanchayat event in Kochi, where party MP Rahul Gandhi was also present. They suggested that he was currently unhappy with both the state and central leadership of the Congress, which led him to decide against attending the meeting.
At the Kochi event, issues arose regarding the seating and speaking arrangements. Tharoor was reportedly told that only Rahul Gandhi would speak after him, but other leaders also addressed the gathering later. The confusion over the arrangements was seen as a public insult, especially given Tharoor’s seniority in the Congress. During his speech at the Mahapanchayat, Rahul Gandhi did not mention Tharoor by name. Observers noted that this omission was significant, given Tharoor’s importance in the party and the state. A senior Kerala leader said that this oversight further fueled Tharoor’s sense of discontent.
The Congress party has not issued any official statement regarding Tharoor’s alleged unhappiness or his decision to skip the Kerala election meeting. However, party sources said that Tharoor had obtained the necessary permission from the party high command to skip the meeting so that he could be present in his constituency for the Prime Minister’s program. Shashi Tharoor was asked why he did not attend the crucial Congress meeting. Speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival, Shashi Tharoor clarified that he would not use any public platform to raise internal party matters. He said that the issue had already been discussed extensively and any concerns would be raised directly with the party leadership.
Speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival, the four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram clarified that “these are issues that I have to raise with my party leadership, not in a public forum.”
He further added that he would be going to Delhi for Parliament, where he hoped to have a proper and structured conversation with the party leadership. He said, “I have been in the Congress for the last 17 years. Whatever has gone wrong needs to be corrected, and it will be corrected in the right forum.” He emphasized that the party leadership had been informed in advance about his absence.
Senior leaders of the Congress state unit were scheduled to meet Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi as part of preparations for the Kerala Assembly elections later this year. As one of the party’s most prominent faces from the state, Tharoor was also expected to be present.
Addressing another controversy, Tharoor defended his stance on Operation Sindoor, stating that he had not defied the Congress party line in Parliament. He acknowledged that there was a public disagreement on the principle, but said that he stood by his views. Referring to a column he wrote after the Pulwama incident, Tharoor said that he had stated that the attack could not go unpunished and that a swift response was necessary.
He also spoke about constitutional values, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers the Constitution sacred and that it has stood the test of time. Tharoor said that even those who had once rejected the Constitution have now embraced it.

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