Amid increasing buzz over a rift with his colleagues, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor met his party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, saying that they were “on the same page” as they move forward to serve the people of India.
In a post on X, Tharoor shared a photo from his meeting with the two leaders and wrote, “Thanks to @INCIndia President @kharge ji and LS LoP @RahulGandhi ji for a warm and constructive discussion today on a wide range of subjects. We are all on the same page as we move forward in the service of the people of India.”
Tharoor’s post put to rest the growing speculation of tense ties between the party colleagues. The buzz began spreading after reports claimed that Shashi Tharoor was “upset” with the party leadership due to a ‘snub’ by Rahul Gandhi at a recent event in Kerala’s Kochi.
Earlier in the day, Tharoor was asked about his upcoming meeting with the Lok Sabha LoP, in response to which he said that he would let the media know when it happens, without giving many details.
“When it happens, it will happen. I’ll let you know. What’s so unusual about meeting my own party leader? Come on,” the MP told reporters.
Tharoor missing from two Congress meets
What added fuel to the fire was Shashi Tharoor skipping two party meetings.
During the first meeting, a crucial brainstorming session for the upcoming assembly polls in Kerala, called by Kharge at his residence in Delhi, Tharoor was in Kozhikode, attending a literature festival. While an official statement mentioned that Tharoor had “prior permission” to attend the literary festival, news agency PTI had reported that insiders blamed a “tipping point” from a party event in Kochi on January 19.
Rahul Gandhi had reportedly acknowledged 12 seniors by name but failed to mention Tharoor during the event, even though the MP was sitting in the same row on the dias.
Several reports claimed that Tharoor felt “sidelined” despite being one of the three Congress Working Committee (CWC) members from the state.
While the speculations were rife, Tharoor also asserted at the literary festival that he remains “unapologetic” about his stance on national security, such as supporting the BJP-led Centre on its move against Pakistan, including Operation Sindoor.
Tharoor affirmed that he never violated Congress’s stated positions in the Parliament, adding that his only public disagreement in principle was over Operation Sindoor.
Days after the first skip, Tharoor was missing from another party meeting on Tuesday. This time, he did not attend the Congress’s parliamentary strategy group meeting ahead of the budget session.
Tharoor reportedly could not attend the meeting as he was on his way back from Dubai, where he had attended a literature festival. He had informed the party in advance about his inability to be present, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.
The second meeting was held at Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s residence, with Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in attendance.
