Rahul Gandhi faces call to address internal tensions over Shashi Tharoor’s role

New Delhi: Former Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha has called on Rahul Gandhi to address escalating internal tensions within the grand old party, specifically regarding the role of senior party leader and four-time MP Shashi Tharoor. 

Jha’s open appeal, timed amid growing speculation about Tharoor’s political future, said, “Leadership (corporate or political or any other) is about having difficult conversations. It is about troubleshooting. It is not about living in denial; problems have to be addressed, they cannot be wished away.” 

Terming Tharoor an “outstanding parliamentarian” and a “great asset” to the party, Jha expressed disappointment that the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram has been compelled to voice his concerns through the media rather than through direct dialogue with the leadership. 

Recalling his own experience five years ago, when he similarly used a national newspaper to raise issues within the party, Jha questioned if the party has the will to solve issues in everyone’s interest, that too quickly. 

The letter comes at a time when Tharoor, a prominent Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and MP from Thiruvananthapuram, has publicly signaled dissatisfaction with his role within the party.

Tharoor reportedly met with Rahul Gandhi to discuss his sidelining, including his removal from key positions such as the All India Professional Congress and limited opportunities to participate in major parliamentary debates. 

Tharoor’s comments in media interviews, including his critique of a “leadership vacuum” in Kerala’s Congress and praise for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s economic policies in Kerala, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit, have sparked controversy and unrest within the party’s state and national leadership.

Tharoor’s remarks have fueled speculation about his potential departure from Congress, a possibility he has neither confirmed nor denied. 

In a recent interview with The Hindu, Tharoor stated he is “available for the party” but hinted at “other options,” including speaking engagements and writing, if the Congress does not utilize his services effectively. 

Jha questioned the Congress’s ability to maintain unity and momentum as it positions itself as the primary opposition to the BJP. 

“The Congress must be focused on taking on the BJP, but a prerequisite for that is to first get the house in order,” Jha wrote, cautioning that unresolved internal challenges could paralyse the party’s energy and drive. 

KPCC president K Sudhakaran, a supporter of Tharoor, has expressed confidence that the MP will not leave the party or join the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), while cautioning him against crossing party lines through media statements. 

CWC member Ramesh Chennithala defended Tharoor’s importance to Congress, noting his four terms as MP, his tenure as a central minister, and his inclusion in key party bodies. However, Chennithala and others have urged Tharoor to align more closely with the party’s official stance to avoid further discord.

Tharoor’s current predicament is not new. His contest against Mallikarjun Kharge for the Congress presidency in 2022, supported by Jha and other party members, highlighted a factional divide within the Congress, particularly over the Gandhi family’s dominance. 

Tharoor’s role, Jha argued, is critical to the party’s strategy, and resolving these tensions “pronto” is essential to maintaining the Congress’s credibility and momentum.