Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress leader, met with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on January 29, 2026, to address internal grievances. The meeting, held in the Parliament House complex, lasted over 100 minutes and aimed to resolve friction before the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. Tharoor expressed satisfaction after the talks, stating that "all is good" and the leadership is moving forward on the "same page."
The meeting followed reports that Shashi Tharoor was upset over being sidelined during a recent event in Kochi. Sources indicated that the Thiruvananthapuram MP felt slighted when Rahul Gandhi did not acknowledge his presence at the Maha Panchayath on January 19. The senior leadership focused on unity during the discussion:
- Constructive dialogue achieved — Tharoor described the session as positive and focused on the collective service of the people.
- No CM candidacy dispute — The MP clarified that being a chief ministerial face was never the issue, as he remains committed to his parliamentary duties.
The Congress party is currently gearing up to wrest power from the Left in Kerala after a decade in the opposition. Mallikarjun Kharge also chaired a separate strategy meeting with state leaders to fine-tune the campaign roadmap. While the meeting was described as "comprehensive," party insiders noted that the true success of the reconciliation will be seen in the coming weeks.
Despite previous controversies regarding his stance on foreign policy, Shashi Tharoor maintained that there is no variance in the party's official position. He emphasized the need for bipartisanship in national matters. The meeting concluded with the leaders posing for a photograph, signaling a united front for the 2026 electoral battle in the southern state.
