Thiruvananthapuram: Whereas the Congress is gearing up for high-stakes native physique polls and a vital meeting election in Kerala, its Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has been largely lacking from the get together’s technique conferences and campaigns. However nobody within the Congress appears stunned.

ThePrint requested Congress functionaries within the district in regards to the MP’s involvement in native physique ballot actions, and plenty of stated he has been largely absent from the state capital. In reality, Tharoor was the one UDF MP absent from the Congress’ marketing campaign for the just lately held Nilambur bypoll.

“His presence is much less right here and he hasn’t been concerned that a lot within the elections. We don’t know if he’s going to come back later,” Sakthan stated. He added that the get together doesn’t really feel the absence a lot as a result of the MP’s service and presence have all the time been restricted to his constituency.

Tharoor, a four-time MP from Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, has been within the limelight for his public stands that normally deviate from the get together line. In a single such occasion, the Congress chief heaped reward on PM Narendra Modi’s speech on the Ramnath Goenka Lecture (RNG Lecture). The speech, which criticised a “colonial period mindset”, additionally attacked the Congress get together.

Tharoor’s obvious absence comes at a time when the Congress in Kerala is bracing for a vital election season, with native physique elections scheduled in two phases on 9 and 11 December, and meeting polls subsequent yr. The battle is especially necessary for the Congress because it has been within the state’s Opposition for the previous two phrases. In Thiruvananthapuram, it assumes extra significance because the get together holds energy in solely one of many 14 meeting seats and eight of the 100 company seats within the district.

“The 2026 election may be very essential for the Congress and we fashioned a core committee for overlooking get together actions. Tharoor is there because the fourth or fifth member. So, it’s not a case of together with him. We’re doing what we are able to,” Unnikrishnan, a Congress functionary, instructed ThePrint.

The 17-member core committee fashioned this month is headed by AICC Normal Secretary Deepa Dasmunsi, who’s in control of the Kerala unit, KPCC president Sunny Joseph, Chief of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, and senior leaders Ok.C. Venugopal, A.Ok. Antony, Ramesh Chennithala and Ok. Muraleedharan amongst others. Muraleedharan, together with Sakthan, is in control of the get together’s native physique ballot preparation in Thiruvananthapuram.

ThePrint has reached Tharoor for remark by way of messages and calls. This report might be up to date if a response is obtained.

‘Absent MP’

A former UN diplomat with roots in Kerala’s Palakkad district, Tharoor joined the Congress in 2009, and was fielded in Thiruvananthapuram that yr for the Lok Sabha polls. A four-time MP since then, Tharoor’s margin within the Lok Sabha constituency has been weakening slowly. The victory margin of shut to 1 lakh in each 2009 and 2019 dropped significantly to simply 16,077 votes towards BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

On the similar time, the MP’s relationship with the get together has additionally been weakening amid his steady reward of the BJP authorities, together with for Operation Sindoor. Equally, his appreciation of the LDF authorities’s efforts to draw investments created friction inside the Congress unit in Kerala.

Lately on 31 October, the MP additionally wrote an article by which he stated: “The affect of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty… has cemented the concept political management generally is a birthright.” Whereas the MP obtained criticism from many Congress functionaries, the Kerala unit has largely remained silent.

“He’s proficient and has a lot fame. As a politician, he isn’t that skilled and rose from [a] younger [age]. He all of the sudden entered…He takes impartial stands at occasions. He could have his personal motives too. So we aren’t taking it that critically,” Sakthan stated. He added that Tharoor received 4 occasions from Thiruvananthapuram as a result of many native functionaries labored arduous for it.

Because the Election Fee introduced the dates for the native physique polls, the MP has visited his constituency as soon as, when he campaigned for a couple of candidates together with mayoral candidate and former MLA Ok. S. Sabarinathan on Sunday. As per his workplace, the MP is scheduled to go to the district once more in December.

One other Congress functionary, Unnikrishnan, an in depth affiliate of Ok. Muraleedharan who has been charged with managing the Thiruvananthapuram native physique polls, stated get together functionaries had been joyful when Tharoor campaigned for its candidates.

The functionary additionally stated Tharoor has been fully absent from native politics for the previous few years, and the get together is just not notably involved. He stated Tharoor also needs to perceive the difficulties his statements create amongst native get together cadres.

“We do want Tharoor. Nevertheless it doesn’t imply that we’d like solely him,” the functionary stated.

(Edited by Viny Mishra)

---

Additionally learn: Why BJP is assured of huge positive aspects in Thiruvananthapuram civic polls

---