Congress Faces Questions as Shashi Tharoor Misses Key Meetings Again

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was once again absent from a gathering of the party’s Lok Sabha members on Friday, a meeting chaired by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to review parliamentary performance during the winter session. His absence follows two missed meetings in November, adding to internal speculation over his increasingly irregular attendance.

According to party sources, the Thiruvananthapuram MP had informed the leadership beforehand. His public schedule showed he was in Kolkata for private engagements, including family events and a wedding. Although colleagues acknowledged his prior intimation, some said the recurring pattern was causing unease among senior figures.

The absence comes at a time when Tharoor has faced criticism from within Congress for statements perceived as sympathetic to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. These remarks followed recent national security incidents, including an attack in Pahalgam and a military operation referred to as Operation Sindoor. His comments drew disapproval from segments of the party who saw them as out of step with Congress’s broader political stance.

Tharoor’s non-attendance has also revived memories of his role in the so-called G-23, a group of senior Congress leaders who questioned the leadership of the Gandhi family after the party’s defeat in the 2019 general election. Although the group has become less active in recent years, its associations linger in internal party discourse.

Despite this, Congress leaders appear reluctant to initiate disciplinary measures. Several officials, speaking on background, said the party must consider electoral realities in Kerala, where Tharoor remains one of its most influential figures. He has won the Thiruvananthapuram seat in four consecutive national elections since 2009 and has consistently secured more than one-third of the constituency’s vote share.

Party strategists believe his popularity will be critical ahead of Kerala’s state election next year. The Congress-led United Democratic Front is seeking to narrow the gap with the state’s ruling Left Democratic Front, which led by a small margin in the previous cycle of civic polls. Tharoor’s visibility and voter appeal, leaders say, remain central to the alliance’s prospects.

Sources familiar with internal discussions suggested that Tharoor is aware of his political leverage. Some believe he may be positioning himself for a potential bid for the chief ministership if the United Democratic Front wins the 2026 Assembly election. However, senior Congress figures are reportedly unwilling to entertain such an elevation, warning that it could trigger leadership tensions similar to those seen in other states.

In this context, analysts say the situation has produced an unusual dynamic: Tharoor’s occasional public criticism of the party appears to test the leadership’s patience, yet Congress’s dependence on his electoral influence constrains how sharply it can respond.

His absence on Friday was not isolated. Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari was also not present. Tharoor had previously explained that travel and health-related issues were responsible for earlier missed meetings, including one on election roll revisions. His office said he had been accompanying his elderly mother on a delayed flight during one such instance.

Nevertheless, the broader pattern has fuelled debate. Earlier this week, Tharoor was the only Congress representative at a state banquet hosted in honour of visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin. The invitation, extended by the central government, drew remarks from some Congress members. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera alluded to concerns about the optics, saying internal leaders should be alert to “why the game is being played and who is playing it”.

Friday’s meeting, held at the Lok Sabha office complex, focused on the party’s performance in legislative debates. As leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi told colleagues the government appeared to be “under pressure” following a series of confrontations in Parliament. According to participants, the discussion covered issues such as air pollution, airline disruptions and concerns about labour regulations, as well as Congress’s messaging on the national debate marking 150 years of the song Vande Mataram.

Deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi later said that Congress leaders in both houses had effectively challenged the government’s positions, citing interventions by party president Mallikarjun Kharge in the Rajya Sabha and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha. Gogoi added that Rahul Gandhi’s exchange with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a debate on election reform had shifted the tone of the discussion. He claimed the home minister appeared unsettled during his remarks.

Congress chief whip K. Suresh described the meeting as a routine performance assessment held every parliamentary session, noting that MPs’ views were sought in detail. The debate on Vande Mataram has now concluded in both houses, while the more contentious debate on election reforms continues in the upper chamber.

Tharoor’s future role within the party remains a subject of interest, particularly as Congress prepares for several state elections and continues its efforts to rebuild after successive national defeats. For now, the leadership appears to be balancing internal discipline with strategic caution.

Context

Shashi Tharoor, a former United Nations diplomat, has long been one of Congress’s most recognisable national figures. His electoral strength in Kerala and appeal among urban voters have made him an important asset, even as his independent positions occasionally create tension within the party. The current debate over his absences reflects broader challenges facing Congress as it navigates internal divisions while attempting to present a united parliamentary front.