Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has been causing political turmoil for the past few days, with his remarks intensifying speculation across party circles. In a recent social media post on X, he appreciated a rare political moment when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Congress’ Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan shared the stage at the Invest Kerala Global Summit 2025.
Good to see this. Economic development should, as far as possible, be above the petty divisions of party politics. pic.twitter.com/zqTLVCKfWu
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 24, 2025
In his post, he shared a photograph of a newspaper report titled “Left, BJP and Cong share stage during Kerala investors’ meet” and wrote, “Good to see this. Economic development should, as far as possible, be above the petty divisions of party politics.” Reports suggest that his post might have raised eyebrows within Congress. The sentiment he expressed, calling for collaboration beyond political differences for economic growth, may not have sat well with his party’s leadership.
Notably, only a few days ago, his public grievance about being sidelined by the party leadership and his suggestion that Congress should clarify whether it values him had already sparked speculation about him manoeuvring out of the grand old party. He had said, “If I am not needed, they should tell me. I have options.” His statement hinted that if he did not get the “deserved” respect from Congress, he might move to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or even the BJP.
Congress’ internal friction over Tharoor’s ambitions
Tharoor is a four-time MP, a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs. His role in the party is significant. However, it appears that he feels discontented with the party because he believes there is a lack of meaningful responsibility for him within Congress. This is why he recently expressed his desire to become Chief Minister of Kerala. His statement, however, has created a base for differences between him and the state leadership.
Reportedly, he believes that Congress can only win the next Kerala Assembly Elections, scheduled for 2026, if it projects him as the CM candidate. Tharoor claimed that he is widely accepted by the public in Kerala, which makes him the ideal candidate for the post.
The state leadership is not in sync with Tharoor’s belief about his popularity in the state and has stated that his grassroots presence in Kerala is negligible. It has argued that Tharoor won from Thiruvananthapuram due to strategic voting aimed at keeping the BJP from securing a victory. Furthermore, support from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Nair Service Society (NSS) played a significant role in his victory.
Congress leadership’s cautious response
Interestingly, Congress officials are showing caution while speaking against Tharoor, most likely due to his long political career and popularity among the public. However, some leaders have openly criticised him. KPCC President K. Sudhakaran refuted speculations that he would leave the party. Simultaneously, he cautioned Tharoor to be mindful of what he says. He remarked, “His comments should not cross certain limits. Tharoor must realise that Congress has leadership in Kerala.”
AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal accused the media of creating sensationalism and refused to engage in the controversy. He said, “The media always focuses on controversies while ignoring real issues like the fisherfolk’s agitation against sea sand mining.”
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala sided with the party and asserted that Tharoor had already been awarded several important posts by the party. He stated, “Congress needs Tharoor, which is why he has been given responsibilities. His claims of being sidelined are unfounded.”
Could Tharoor join the Left or BJP?
It appears that Tharoor has built a strategy that is a mix of self-promotion and pressure tactics. For a leader like him, it is unlikely that he would happily leave Congress. If he considers shifting to the CPI(M), it is highly unlikely that the Left party will accept an outsider as its CM candidate for the future Assembly elections. There are already several leaders within the party lined up for the position.
Another option available for Tharoor is the BJP. However, in that case, he would face significant ideological differences. That said, he has previously praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his diplomacy, and now he has endorsed the presence of a BJP minister at an event, further suggesting a possible tilt.
