Congress party in Kerala is witnessing few unexpected high voltage ‘activities’ with the party inner circles and bosses closely watching Shashi Tharoor, the once ‘outsider’, now gaining traction among not just the young congress voters, but also from the allies of the United Democratic Front (UDF).
Weeks after Tharoor lost to Mallikarjun Kharge in the contest for the party presidential polls, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram has embarked on a ‘political’ tour to north Kerala where he decided to attend a function that was organized by the youth congress leadership in Kozhikode. However, the DCC (District Congress Committee) later denied permission for the event.
Even as the senior leaders of Congress including the KPCC president K Sudhakaran and VD Satheeshan refrained to comment on the matter, Shashi Tharoor received unprecedented support from IUML, the main ally of the UDF, NSS (Nair Service Society) and the Kerala Congress groups based in Kottayam.
Muraleedharan, a former Congress state president, added, “Everybody knows what has happened. No probe is required, because things are very clear. Tharoor should not have been prevented from using the Youth Congress platform,” he said. Shashi Tharoor also was later welcomed at the IUML headquarters.
Many young congress leaders including those helming senior posts within the Youth Congress and the KSU, the student wing of the congress feel that Shashi Tharoor’s outreach to community leaders and his political outreach programmes is a sign of his acceptance within the UDF and also how Tharoor’s charisma has more takers within the political eco space in Kerala.
“There are a lot of youngsters who are sympathising with the Congress party and its secular and democratic credentials wanting Tharoor as the face of the party. I feel a highly educated and able person like him can offer a lot to the party in Kerala where the party has faced setbacks in the recent elections.
Currently, congress needs fresh faces who can offer more answers to the questions posed by the urban youngsters who are seeking jobs and also to a new generation who are seeking innovative solutions on various aspects ranging from technology to education and international issues. Tharoor is indeed the best choice we have now”, said a young congress leader from Kozhikode who was one among those who arranged the Youth Congress function where Tharoor was the chief guest.
Tharoor has also tapped into the support bases of the Nair Service Society (NSS), politically assertive force in the state. For one, the (NSS) has invited Tharoor to speak at the high-profile Mannam Jayanti celebrations at its headquarters in Perunna. He has a similar invite from the “staunchly pro-Oommen Chandy” youth congress leadership in Kottayam.
However, the official faction of the Congress, currently the I-group consisting of Ramesh Chennithala, K Sudhakaran, K Muraleedharan and MM Hassan and a section of leaders have warned the ‘attempts to derail from the party line’ by openly stating that no leader of the party should try to destabilize the party at a time when the opposition needs to stand united against the LDF in the state and the BJP at the centre.
That did we say which was contrary to Congress directions? What mistake did we make? But I am a bit irritated, as there was no need to create issues in the media. I am ready to give the needle if the media wants that.” Tharoor replied to a question where he was asked about the sectarian remarks made by the leader of opposition, VD Satheeshan.
However, Shashi Tharoor has decided to move ahead with his political plans and attend the scheduled programmes.
