New Delhi: Close on the heels of the row over its MP Shashi Tharoor's recent remarks, the Congress top brass on Friday issued a stern warning to its Kerala leaders, asserting that strong action will be taken against those making comments that go against party interests.
At a meeting to deliberate the Congress' strategy in Kerala, former party chief Rahul Gandhi said leaders should be very careful about the political strategy and should not do or say anything which does not toe the party line, according to sources.
The nearly three-hour meeting at the Congress' Indira Bhawan headquarters here had discipline, unity and strengthening of the state organisation as its running theme.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stressed on discipline, ensuring unity and on filling up the vacant posts to strengthen the Kerala Congress organisation.
Besides Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kerala Congress chief K Sudhakaran and CLP leader in Kerala assembly V D Satheesan, Thiruvanathapuram MP Tharoor and AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi, among others, were present at the meeting.
"We got a clear indication from our high command that the Congress is very much connected with the people of Kerala, emotionally, and politically people are looking for a change. So we should not do anything which will disrespect the people of Kerala.
"This was a clear indication and if anyone, (says) anything personally, we will take strong action. Because, we have no right to disrespect the people of Kerala," Congress in-charge for party affairs in Kerala Dasmunshi told reporters after the meeting.
She said that in the next few months, the party has planned many programmes, starting in April with a state congress conference of workers, which will be attended by Kharge and Gandhi.
"The media is giving a wrong impression that there is no unity in Congress party in Kerala, which is untrue. Everyone here has expressed strongly against the LDF and against the BJP. The leaders are strongly united and they will speak in univocal voice," Dasmunshi said.
Sources said Tharoor stressed on strengthening the organisation during the meeting. The party top brass did not seek any clarification about his recent remarks as he has already clarified on the matter and also pointed out that his remarks in a Malayalam podcast were misrepresented in the English translation.
"Rahul Gandhi's message at the meeting was that, in Kerala, we are very emotionally connected with the people. There is emotional bonding between the Gandhi family and the people there," a source said.
"I know that the people are really emotional, they want a change, so we should be very careful about our political strategy and roadmap. We should not do or say anything which goes against the party line, as doing so means we are disrespecting the people of Kerala," Gandhi, was quoted as saying at the meeting.
The source said there was no discussion on any leadership change in Kerala.
"Just before elections we should not give our own view. It was discussed and decided very clearly that there should be one narrative and on that narrative all leaders should speak univocally," the source said.
Personal views should not be aired and if they seem to be against the Congress party narrative then "we have to take action", the source said.
The sources said Tharoor had clarified his position about his quotes in Malayalam being misrepresented in English translation by a newspaper, adding he is not at all thinking of switching sides.
The steps to be taken for strengthening the organisation and preparations for the assembly elections to be held next year were also discussed during the meeting, sources said.
Senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Congress will fight together and there are no differences.
"Everybody will be united and will fight for the people of Kerala as the government of Kerala has totally failed on all fronts. We will fight and win and the UDF government will be installed in 2026," he said.
In a post on X, Kharge asserted that the people will defeat the "oppressive" and "communal" fronts in the state.
"Change is inevitable in Kerala. Congress has built the development paradigm and welfare model of Kerala, and we will do everything possible to bring our UDF to power. Next year, people will defeat both the oppressive and communal fronts in the state," he said.
The meeting with senior leaders from Kerala comes close on the heels of a row over Thiruvananthapuram MP Tharoor's recent article in a newspaper that drew criticism from some party leaders over his "praise" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state for boosting the investment climate.
Later, Tharoor's remarks in a Malayalam podcast were seen by many as pitching himself for leadership in the state, which did not go well and upset a section of the state leadership.
The Congress is the main opposition party in Kerala and is seeking to wrest power from the LDF.
Assembly elections are set to take place in Kerala in March-April next year.
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Strong action if comments do not toe party line: Congress warns Kerala leaders
The Congress' Kerala leadership meets Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday, February 28, 2025.
New Delhi: Close on the heels of the row over its MP Shashi Tharoor's recent remarks, the Congress top brass on Friday issued a stern warning to its Kerala leaders, asserting that strong action will be taken against those making comments that go against party interests.
At a meeting to deliberate the Congress' strategy in Kerala, former party chief Rahul Gandhi said leaders should be very careful about the political strategy and should not do or say anything which does not toe the party line, according to sources.
Also read: Tharoor derides Indian Express for scant regard for accuracy or veracity; lust for clickbait headlines
The nearly three-hour meeting at the Congress' Indira Bhawan headquarters here had discipline, unity and strengthening of the state organisation as its running theme.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stressed on discipline, ensuring unity and on filling up the vacant posts to strengthen the Kerala Congress organisation.
Besides Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kerala Congress chief K Sudhakaran and CLP leader in Kerala assembly V D Satheesan, Thiruvanathapuram MP Tharoor and AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi, among others, were present at the meeting.
Also read: Why Shashi Tharoor is a better bet for Congress in Kerala than KC Venugopal?
"We got a clear indication from our high command that the Congress is very much connected with the people of Kerala, emotionally, and politically people are looking for a change. So we should not do anything which will disrespect the people of Kerala.
"This was a clear indication and if anyone, (says) anything personally, we will take strong action. Because, we have no right to disrespect the people of Kerala," Congress in-charge for party affairs in Kerala Dasmunshi told reporters after the meeting.
She said that in the next few months, the party has planned many programmes, starting in April with a state congress conference of workers, which will be attended by Kharge and Gandhi.
"The media is giving a wrong impression that there is no unity in Congress party in Kerala, which is untrue. Everyone here has expressed strongly against the LDF and against the BJP. The leaders are strongly united and they will speak in univocal voice," Dasmunshi said.
Sources said Tharoor stressed on strengthening the organisation during the meeting. The party top brass did not seek any clarification about his recent remarks as he has already clarified on the matter and also pointed out that his remarks in a Malayalam podcast were misrepresented in the English translation.
"Rahul Gandhi's message at the meeting was that, in Kerala, we are very emotionally connected with the people. There is emotional bonding between the Gandhi family and the people there," a source said.
"I know that the people are really emotional, they want a change, so we should be very careful about our political strategy and roadmap. We should not do or say anything which goes against the party line, as doing so means we are disrespecting the people of Kerala," Gandhi, was quoted as saying at the meeting.
The source said there was no discussion on any leadership change in Kerala.
"Just before elections we should not give our own view. It was discussed and decided very clearly that there should be one narrative and on that narrative all leaders should speak univocally," the source said.
Personal views should not be aired and if they seem to be against the Congress party narrative then "we have to take action", the source said.
The sources said Tharoor had clarified his position about his quotes in Malayalam being misrepresented in English translation by a newspaper, adding he is not at all thinking of switching sides.
The steps to be taken for strengthening the organisation and preparations for the assembly elections to be held next year were also discussed during the meeting, sources said.
Senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Congress will fight together and there are no differences.
"Everybody will be united and will fight for the people of Kerala as the government of Kerala has totally failed on all fronts. We will fight and win and the UDF government will be installed in 2026," he said.
In a post on X, Kharge asserted that the people will defeat the "oppressive" and "communal" fronts in the state.
"Change is inevitable in Kerala. Congress has built the development paradigm and welfare model of Kerala, and we will do everything possible to bring our UDF to power. Next year, people will defeat both the oppressive and communal fronts in the state," he said.
The meeting with senior leaders from Kerala comes close on the heels of a row over Thiruvananthapuram MP Tharoor's recent article in a newspaper that drew criticism from some party leaders over his "praise" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state for boosting the investment climate.
Later, Tharoor's remarks in a Malayalam podcast were seen by many as pitching himself for leadership in the state, which did not go well and upset a section of the state leadership.
The Congress is the main opposition party in Kerala and is seeking to wrest power from the LDF.
Assembly elections are set to take place in Kerala in March-April next year.