Journalism of Courage
The series of comments directed at Shashi Tharoor by Congress leaders in Kerala on Friday indicated what has been brewing for a while: a serious and well-planned campaign by the Thiruvananthapuram MP to emerge as the prime face of the Congress in the state, and the party’s growing dismay at being reduced to a spectator in this power play.
Although an MP since 2009, Tharoor was till recently dismissed by the Kerala Congress leaders as a Delhi import, more at ease in the Capital and diplomatic circles where he had spent his professional life, and not even very conversant in Malayalam. However, Tharoor’s articulation, social media visibility and his presidential bid – apart from the second loss on a trot for the Congress in the state — have all raised his stature, first reflected in demands by partymen for him to campaign for them in the polls and now in his clear ambition to make Kerala his political launch pad.
The latest tipping point for his Kerala colleagues was the declaration by Tharoor – who has only ever been an MP — that the state was his “karmabhoomi” and he would contest the next Assembly elections from here in 2026.
AICC general secretary in-charge of Kerala Tariq Anwar hit out Friday, saying: “It’s the party state election committee that will decide who contests and who should not. Leaders should convey their wishes to the high command. This is not proper.”
Bolstered by the words of Anwar, seen as the high command’s view, other state Congress leaders then stepped forward – especially from Tharoor’s fellow Nair community.
AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, considered the most prominent Kerala leader now due to his proximity to Rahul Gandhi, said: “When the party is struggling to come back after two consecutive electoral defeats (in the 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections), there are attempts to torpedo it. The situation is in favour of the Congress and UDF. Leaders should show the prudence not to shatter the Congress dream in Kerala. Unnecessary debates should be avoided and everything should be discussed within the party.”
Former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala weighed in, saying: “Nobody knows what will happen four years later, in Kerala or India. So, nobody needs to announce now what they will become after four years.” In a clear swipe at Tharoor’s ambitions, he added: “Anyone who has got the coat (of chief minister) ready, should put it aside and start working first for the general elections next year.”
MP and former KPCC president K Muraleedharan, who had earlier backed Tharoor, also advised that the focus now should be on the next general elections.
Tharoor shot back Saturday, saying: “I haven’t got tailored the coat of CM. I don’t know who has.” He was not going to stop meeting people, he added. “If people want to see me, I will attend the maximum events. I need not abandon such programmes.”
By coordinated attacks such as on Friday and earlier by putting physical hurdles in Tharoor’s way, the Congress leaders in the state could be helping Tharoor, making him seem a leader who poses a real threat. In the initial leg of his Kerala outreach programme, for example, he was denied a venue by the party for an event. Since then, party workers have been hosting him, once or twice ignoring instructions from the top.
The choice of community leaders Tharoor has been meeting is also a message to the Kerala Congress leaders. They include heads of various Muslim and Christian groups, the traditional vote bank of the Congress who are worried about the party’s “weakness” against a resurgent BJP.
Tharoor seems to have even won over the upper-caste Hindu Nair community organisation Nair Service Society (NSS). The same group that had once called him a Delhi Nair hosted him as a chief guest at a recent community event.
The NSS has always backed the Congress but moved closer to the BJP over the Sabarimala temple entry issue.
The NSS overture towards Tharoor was a strong message to two Congress leaders from the community specifically, Chennithala and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan. The latter had earlier openly come out against Nair leaders for “meddling in Congress affairs”.
A Hindu organisation of backward communities, SNDP, which is considered pro-Left, however, claimed Tharoor’s “political future was finished” after the NSS support. “Was it appropriate (for the NSS) to call him an aristocratic Nair? Why has no Congress leader reacted against that statement?”
Framing himself as a leader of a different mettle, Tharoor has, meanwhile, also shun the Congress leadership’s usual bitter battles with the Left Democratic Front government over issues. He has been talking about development, dreams of youths and taking Kerala forward.
