Tharoor says, he is exploring other options; Congress fumes

Thiruvananthapuram: Shashi Tharoor is once again a hot topic in political circles in Kerala due to his remarks on the absence of leadership in the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). In an interview with Liz Mathew for an online podcast by The Indian Express, he stated that if the KPCC does not utilize his potential to regain leadership in the state, he is ready to explore other options.

Tharoor's Vision for Congress

In the podcast, Tharoor asserted that the Congress party must expand its base to regain power in Kerala. He suggested that the Congress should take him as an example, as he was re-elected for the fourth term, claiming to have support from people irrespective of political leanings. He added that if the Congress is not willing to reach out to people, it will definitely be placed in the opposition for the third consecutive time.

Tharoor pointed out that opinion polls conducted by independent organizations have shown that he was ahead of others in leadership stakes in Kerala. "If the party wants to use that, I will be there for the party. If not, I have my own things to do. You should not think that I have no other options. I have my books, speeches, and invitations from across the world to give talks," he said. He added that even the allies of UDF are not satisfied with the current leadership. He even criticized the working committee for its ineffectiveness in making exclusive decisions.

A Ripple Effect

Shashi Tharoor's remarks came right after his much- discussed article "Changing Kerala: Lumbering Jumbo to a Lithe Tiger" in The New Indian Express. In this article, he applauded the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government for its efforts to make Kerala number one in ease of doing business and a pioneering leader in the startup ecosystem. The opinion piece created a ripple effect within the Congress, with senior leaders criticizing Tharoor for praising the LDF government despite factual claims. They pointed out that Tharoor's opinion piece dealt a significant blow to the KPCC and feared that it would give the LDF a leg up in the upcoming elections. Due to the complaints received by AICC, Shashi Tharoor was called by Rahul Gandhi to Delhi to discuss the matter further, and most of the leaders from Kerala believed the issue was resolved. The effect caused by the article was just settling when the podcast was released.

When asked about the article he published in The new Indian Express, Tharoor explained that he was freely expressing his feelings and was not ashamed to laud the good initiatives of the opposition.

Gaining Allies

Tharoor's remarks were mainly aimed at V D Satheeshan. It is clear that he intends to get support from allied parties in the United Democratic Front to stand firm on his arguments. Tharoor is backed by the dissatisfied members of the A and I groups in the state. This will eventually hurt the state's leadership of Congress.

AICC expressed its dissatisfaction over the remarks of Shashi Tharoor. AICC stated that the comment will hurt the working condition of Congress in Kerala. AICC pointed out that Tharoor has received enough recognition within the party and his remark on not getting enough acknowledgment is not the gospel truth. Since he has not come from the political cadre background, he cannot be transferred to another northern district for fostering the growth of the Congress party. After the criticism from AICC, Shashi Tharoor responded that he has no comment for now and will eventually make it known when the time is right. "Everyone should listen to the podcast before commenting," Shashi Tharoor added.

CPI M and LDF's Stance

CPI(M) State Secretary M V Govindan stated that CPI M and LDF have been raising the same arguments brought up by Shashi Tharoor for quite some time. "Shashi Tharoor's comment about the lack of leadership in the Congress Party is the reality. This statement is coming from a Congress Working Committee member, and we shouldn't take lightly his words. The Congress has turned a blind eye to the daily grind of the common man in the state," said M V Govindan.

"Even if Tharoor leave Congress, he will not be left alone' , said CPI M Central Committee Member Dr. T M Thomas Isaac. It is amusing to me that Shashi Tharoor has stayed with congress for this long, he added.

The Growing Rift in the Kerala Congress

KPCC President K Sudhakaran, while speaking to the media, said that Shashi Tharoor's comment about KPCC through the media didn't sit well. "Shashi Tharoor will not be leaving Congress. His criticisms will breathe new life into the assessment of KPCC's workings,' he added. AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal accused the media of trying to create an issue within KPCC.

Senior Congress Leader Ramesh Chennithala mentioned that he had no comments on the issue, suggesting that it might have been recorded before Tharoor's meeting with Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

Senior Congress Leader K Muraleedharan emphasized that Tharoor should have discussed issues within the party and that nobody should leave. "At no time has the Congress Party faced leadership issues in Kerala. Shashi Tharoor should focus on the national level, and any issues he has faced in the party should be amicably solved," he added.

" A renowned writer and orator, had been sidelined by the Congress both in Parliament and within party committees', -- said former congress leader K V Thomas.