Shashi Tharoor (left), Rahul Gandhi (centre) and Mallikarjun Kharge.
Credit: PTI Photos
Thiruvananthapuram: Though Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's has pitched himself as the new upcoming leader of the party in Kerala, this move could prove to be damaging to the party itself.
But, it could also serve as an alert to the Congress as the air is already thick with speculations that the CPM-led Left Democratic Front could strike a hattrick in the 2026 assembly polls by taking the advantage of lack of a good opponent— as what happened in 2021 polls.
But could Tharoor's difference in opinion with the state party leadership also benefit Congress? As the other top leaders within the grand old eyeing the chief minister's post could stand united at least to resist Tharoor, political observers point out.
Though Tharoor is trying to take advantage of his high profile, political observers are sceptical about his influence on the rank and file of the party in the electoral fray.
Tharoor had expressed his desire to be in state politics prior to the Lok Sabha polls.
Winning the Lok Sabha elections for the fourth time in a row in 2024, that too by overcoming the strong fight put up by BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is being highlighted by Tharoor as one of his plus points.
The support he enjoys from youth and women is also an advantage for Tharoor. He is also taking advantage of the infighting among the Congress top leaders in the state.
It may be recalled that even veteran Congress leader A K Antony recently cautioned the Congress leaders in Kerala that infighting could pave way for a third consecutive defeat in the assembly election.
According to senior political observer J Prabhash, the ongoing strategy by Tharoor is obviously damaging to the Congress and any decision to elevate him to the leadership roles in the state could be more damaging as it will aggravate the infightings.
He also feels that Tharoor's high profile need not necessarily help him emerge as a political leader.
"Most seasoned politicians that we have come across did not have an elite profile as Tharoor is having. A political leader's quality is to have a command over the party cadres," said Prabhash adding that Tharoor's election victories could not be considered only as the outcome of his high profile, though it could be an attributing factor.
Congress is now eagerly awaiting Tharoor's next move. In a recent interview Tharoor denied rumours of considering joining any other party. But he added that in the present day politics everyone wants a party or organisation to back them.