Why Congress Avoids Disciplinary Action Against Shashi Tharoor Despite Repeated Meeting Absences

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (File).

New Delhi:

The absence of Shashi Tharoor from today's Congress Lok Sabha MPs meeting led by Rahul Gandhi has sparked curiosity, marking his third consecutive missed major party gathering. The meeting was intended to evaluate parliamentary performance during the winter session.

According to sources who spoke to NDTV, Tharoor, representing Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram constituency, had notified the party of his absence. His X timeline revealed he was in Kolkata attending private functions, including his sister Smriti Tharoor's birthday celebration and the wedding of his long-time associate John Koshy.

Nevertheless, this marks Tharoor's third consecutive absence from high-profile Congress meetings, following two November gatherings, one of which was headed by Sonia Gandhi.

Many are questioning why the Congress refrains from disciplinary measures, especially given their criticism of his recent comments that appeared to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, including remarks following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

Additionally, Tharoor was part of the G-23, a group of 'rebel' leaders who challenged the Gandhi family's leadership after the 2019 general election defeat, making his untouched status somewhat perplexing.

Party sources revealed to NDTV that the answer is straightforward - it's about votes and political strategy.

The Congress is hesitant to confront Tharoor due to tensions within its Kerala unit between him and National General Secretary KC Venugopal. The latter is considered a close ally of Rahul Gandhi and stands as the most prominent figure after Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Tharoor, however, commands significant voter influence; he has secured the Thiruvananthapuram seat four consecutive times since 2009, never dropping below 34 percent of the vote share.

This influence is crucial for the Congress as the Assembly elections approach next year, and was also significant during the recent local body polls held on December 9 and 11.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front hopes to leverage Tharoor's popularity to gain ground against the ruling Left Democratic Front in the civic elections - where they trailed by 2.26 percentage points in 2020 - and maintain momentum into the Assembly elections.

Sources informed NDTV that Tharoor understands the Congress's position and is potentially eyeing the Chief Minister's role should the UDF win next year's election.

The Congress, however, is unlikely to support this advancement which, assuming a party victory in 2026, could trigger a Karnataka-style confrontation between two senior leaders competing for the top position.

This impasse - regarding a potential chief ministerial promotion - explains why Tharoor occasionally criticizes the Congress and simultaneously why the party chooses not to respond.

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