Kozhikode. Is Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor being sidelined in the Congress now? Has Shashi Tharoor, who contested for the post of Congress President against Mallikarjun Kharge, become a thorn in the side of Congressmen? These two questions are arising because of the incidents happening with Tharoor in the last few days. Gujarat assembly elections are due. In this, all the leaders of Congress have been made star campaigners, but Shashi Tharoor’s name is not in the list of star campaigners of Congress. Now the Congress has distanced itself from his another program as well.
Shashi Tharoor has to attend a program in Kozhikode, Kerala today. In this program the topic ‘Challenge to Sangh Parivar and Secularism’ is to be discussed. Earlier the Kerala Youth Congress had associated itself with hosting the event, but suddenly the organization pulled out. The entire blueprint of this program of Shashi Tharoor was also decided by the Youth Congress district committee of Kozhikode. The party leaders have kept silence about this sudden decision. According to sources, some Kerala Congress leaders objected to the Youth Congress’ decision to host Shashi Tharoor’s event. After which the organization has decided to disassociate itself from it.
Shashi Tharoor had staked claim for the post of Congress President. He contested against Mallikarjun Kharge. Kharge got 7897 votes in the election of Congress President held in the past. Whereas, Tharoor could get only 1072 votes. 416 votes were canceled in the election. Both Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge had participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra with Rahul Gandhi after contesting for the post of Congress President. The Gandhi family had not announced support to anyone in this election, but all political experts know that Mallikarjun Kharge is considered to be one of the close leaders of the Gandhi family. Whereas, Shashi Tharoor has been involved in the G-23 group questioning the methods of the Congress high command.