Tharoor keeps options open; BJP keenly observing developments

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Thursday that if the party wants he would contest from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat again. He also lamented that after contesting in the Congress president election, his acts were being given different dimensions by many.

Tharoor seems to have kept the options open as AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Tariq Anwar expressed displeasure over MPs openly making statements expressing desire to keep off from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Many party state leaders expressed their strong protest against this at the Kerala PCC leadership meetings in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday and Thursday.

Tharoor told reporters that he had been meeting representatives of various sections across Kerala earlier also. Religious leaders were now inviting him for meetings and he did not seek appointment with any religious leaders. While the media asked if he wished to be the chief minister, he could not say no. Hence he responded positively. The media triggered a row over it. There was still a long time for the next Assembly elections in 2026. If the party and people wanted him to contest again from Thiruvananthapuram, he will contest, said the third-time MP of Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, the BJP is learnt to be keenly observing the developments in the Congress camps. During the last two Lok Sabha elections BJP came second in Thiruvananthapuram with around 31 per cent votes. Already there were strong rumours that the BJP was considering high profile candidates like actor-turned politician and former Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi.

Earlier there were rumours that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who recently came down to review the central projects like highway development in the state capital, might be also considered by BJP in Thiruvananthapuram.

Former union minister Prakash Javadekar has been given charge of Kerala and he has been holding series of discussions with the party state leaders.