Shashi Tharoor misses another BIG congress meeting in a row, gives THIS reason as exit buzz sparks ahead of Kerala polls; ‘I was on a…’

Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday missed another important party meeting, adding to talk that his ties with the Congress may not be smooth as the Winter Session of Parliament began. The Congress Working Committee (CWC), led by Sonia Gandhi, met on Sunday to finalise the party’s plan for the session, where major discussions are expected on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists and national security after the recent blast in Delhi.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Tharoor said, “I didn’t skip it. I was on a plane coming from Kerala. That’s all.” His office explained that he was travelling with his 90-year-old mother at the time. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal was also absent from the meeting because he was busy with work related to local body elections.

Tharoor’s repeated absences are being viewed as a sign of growing tension between him and the Congress, especially after Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. Earlier, he missed another meeting on the SIR issue, saying he was unwell. But on the same day, he attended an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a lecture, and later praised the PM on social media.

His open appreciation of leaders like Modi and BJP veteran LK Advani, along with his recent article criticising the Nehru-Gandhi family, has widened the gap even more. In his article, he spoke about dynastic politics but did not compare it to families of BJP leaders. This choice drew mixed reactions — some praised him, while others criticised him, both inside and outside the party.

Some Congress leaders are now openly questioning Shashi Tharoor’s loyalty to the party. Congress spokesperson Supriya Srinate said his praise for the Prime Minister’s speech was “petty.” Former MP Sandeep Dikshit also criticised him, saying, “If you think someone is doing good for the country by going against Congress policies, then why are you still in Congress? If you don’t explain this, it looks hypocritical.”

Tharoor has always been known as a leader who wants changes within the party. He was part of the G-23 group and even contested for the post of Congress president. But in the last few months, several of his statements, especially his support for the government after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, have gone against the party’s official stand. This has created more friction between him and senior leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, who leads the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

His absences from key meetings have also come at a sensitive time, as Kerala prepares for Assembly elections early next year. Political observers say that if Tharoor decides to leave the Congress, it could have a major impact on the party’s strength and image in Kerala.