Congress' Kerala Crisis: Party Moves To Contain Fallout Over Shashi Tharoor Row

Congress' Kerala Crisis: The Congress party in Kerala, currently making headlines due to its internal conflict with senior leader Shashi Tharoor, has initiated damage control, beginning with a key meeting.

Senior party leaders are set to convene on Friday, where the primary focus will be on the state election, reported NDTV.

Photo Credit: PTI

However, sources have indicated that the ongoing issue with Tharoor and the need for unity in communication will undoubtedly be discussed.

According to insiders, Congress leaders in Kerala have deliberately chosen not to respond to Tharoor or his recent remarks.

Engaging with Tharoor's comments could create internal conflict, something the party wishes to avoid as the state assembly election approaches later this year.

The primary focus, sources stated, should remain on challenging the CPM, its government, and the BJP.

They further noted that the matter has been set aside following Tharoor's meeting with Rahul Gandhi on February 19. The interview Tharoor gave to a daily publication was prior to his meeting with Gandhi, they added.

Tharoor, a former Union minister and four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has unsettled his party by praising the CPM's policies in Kerala and the state's development.

His comments were particularly stinging, following on from his earlier praises for Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his meeting with former US President Donald Trump.

In a sharply worded editorial, a regional party mouthpiece described Tharoor's actions as "suicidal" for undermining the party from within, accusing him of engaging in a "distorted" form of politics.

Tharoor clarified last week that he was simply highlighting Kerala's progress in the startup sector.

However, not one to hold back, he made it clear that he would pursue his own interests if the party no longer wanted him.

"If the party wants me, then I will be there for the party. If not, I have my own things to do. You should not think that I have no other options to occupy my time. I have options. I have my books, speeches, and invitations from across the world for talks," he stated.