All Kerala Congress leaders stand as one: Rahul Gandhi amid Shashi Tharoor rift buzz

Amid reports of Shashi Tharoor being sidelined in the party, Rahul Gandhi also held a closed-door meeting with him in Delhi about a week ago. Although Shashi Tharoor has dismissed speculation of leaving the Congress, the CPI(M) has indicated that they are ready to welcome Tharoor if he leaves the Congress.

In the meanwhile, speculation of tension between the Congress and Shashi Tharoor and the controversy arising after Shashi Tharoor praised the central government, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday clarified that all the party leaders are united in Kerala and are working together.

Reports of Shashi Tharoor being sidelined in the Congress party

Rahul Gandhi posted a picture of a press conference of Kerala Congress leaders on Facebook after a meeting with the top leadership of the party in Delhi on February 28. He wrote with the photo, we are united.

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During this meeting, the strategy for the Kerala Assembly elections to be held in 2026 was also discussed.

Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor rift buzz

The Congress leadership gave a strict message to all the leaders and said that strict disciplinary action will be taken against any leader who makes a statement deviating from the party line.

Shashi Tharoor has dismissed speculation of leaving the Congress

Shashi Tharoor, Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretary KC Venugopal, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, Kerala Congress president K Sudhakaran, Congress Legislature Party leader in Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan and party's Kerala in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi were present in the meeting.

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According to sources, in this meeting that lasted for about three hours, Rahul Gandhi clearly said that all the leaders should be very cautious about political strategy and should not say anything that is against the party line.

This meeting was called at a time when Shashi Tharoor praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that if Congress does not need his services, then he also has "other options".

Tharoor praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Amid reports of Shashi Tharoor being sidelined in the party, Rahul Gandhi also held a closed-door meeting with him in Delhi about a week ago. Although Shashi Tharoor has rejected speculations of leaving the Congress, the CPI(M) has indicated that if Tharoor leaves the Congress, they are ready to welcome him. Senior CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac said that if Shashi Tharoor leaves the Congress, he will not be an orphan in Kerala politics.

Isaac said that if Tharoor clarifies his position, then there is no problem for the CPI(M) in accepting him. Congress has welcomed many leaders in the past. It is nothing short of a miracle that Tharoor has remained in the Congress till now.

Summary

Recently, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor had also praised Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan government's policies of 'ease of doing business' and simplifying government processes, which angered the Congress leadership.

Tharoor had also welcomed Prime Minister Modi's visit to Washington in January and his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Congress had reacted strongly to this visit.