Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Absent From Strategic Parliament Meeting Amid Growing Party Tensions

Congress Working Committee Member and MP Shashi Tharoor was absent from a significant meeting of the Congress's strategic group on Sunday. The meeting, chaired by Sonia Gandhi, was focused on planning for the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

According to Tharoor's office, his absence was due to his travel arrangements from Kerala, as he was accompanying his 90-year-old mother on a later flight back to Delhi.

It's worth noting that KC Venugopal, the General Secretary of Congress, also couldn't attend the meeting in Delhi today due to his commitments to local body election campaigns.

This isn't the first time Tharoor has missed an important party gathering. Previously, he was absent from a Congress meeting regarding the SIR issue, citing health problems. However, his absence raised eyebrows when he was seen attending an event hosted by Prime Minister Modi just a day before.

Adding to the controversy, Tharoor's Instagram account had previously featured posts praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which drew criticism from fellow party members.

Congress leader Sandeep Dixit expressed his concerns to ANI, stating: "Shashi Tharoor's problem is that I don't think he knows a lot about the country... If you believe someone is benefiting the country by opposing Congress policies, then you should follow those policies... Why remain in Congress? Is it solely because you're an MP?... If you genuinely feel that BJP or PM Modi's strategies are more effective than your own party's, you should provide an explanation. Without one, you're being hypocritical."

Similarly, Congress spokesperson Supriya Srinate remarked, "I found nothing praiseworthy in the Prime Minister's speech. The PM needs to answer many questions. He attended a newspaper event but should explain his issues with fair journalism and why he's displeased with those who reveal the truth... I saw no reason to commend him and don't understand how Tharoor found one... It was a petty speech that also criticized Congress. The PM seems obsessed with Congress day and night, which is quite remarkable."

Tharoor's consistent absence from key Congress meetings has become a topic of discussion within the party circles. His complicated relationship with the Congress leadership, coupled with his occasional positive comments about Prime Minister Modi, continues to fuel speculation about his political positioning.