NEW DELHI: For quite some time, the Congress central leadership has been facing a challenge from Sachin Pilot’s supporters in Rajasthan for replacing chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Upping the ante, Gujjar leader Vijay Bainsla said that Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra would pass uninterrupted through the state if Sachin Pilot was made the chief minister.
While the tussle between Pilot and Gehlot camps is on in Rajasthan, the party leadership now has to brace for more tremors from down south Kerala too.
Tour de Kerala
Shashi Tharoor’s Malabar tour has reportedly unnerved a section of the Kerala Congress leaders, leading to Youth Congress pulling out of a seminar, planned for Tharoor. Tharoor supporter K Muraleedharan called blocking this event a conspiracy saying Tharoor getting active in Kerala politics is unsettling CM hopefuls in the Congress.
Tharoor a CM canditate?
K Muraleedharan, a senior Congress leader in Kerala, said that Tharoor’s moves could have been spurred by media reports projecting him as a CM candidate. “It could have caused issues to persons who desire the post. I don’t have issues as I don’t have such desires. Not everyone is like that. They (YC) had to back out of the programme due to some pressure. I know what it is but I will not discuss it in public as it is an internal matter of the party,” Muraleedharan added.
A Tharoor faction?
The Thiruvananthapuram MP’s political outreach, not officially objected by the Congress leadership, is Tharoor’s first solo act miles beyond his Lok Sabha constituency. His supporters are now being dubbed “the Tharoor faction” in Kerala, where the Congress is divided into camps led by powerful leaders.
Tharoor speaks: “Some are saying it is divisive tactics or groupism. We do not intend to create any group nor are we interested in it. Congress is already full of ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups and there is no need to add any more alphabets like ‘O’ and ‘V’. If there has to be an alphabet, it should be ‘U’ for a united Congress which is what we all need. I fail to see the need to make a big deal out of two UDF MPs meeting an ally’s leaders,” said Tharoor after meeting Congress’s biggest ally Muslim League leaders.
On the ground
Tharoor has shared images on Twitter of what he described as an overwhelming participation by the Youth Congress. “Wonderful welcome by @iyc activists in Kozhikode after some came under pressure not to provide me a platform.”
Today, Tharoor is in Kannur, the home turf of Kerala Congress chief K Sudhakaran, who is not happy with Tharoor’s Malabar tour.
While the tussle between Pilot and Gehlot camps is on in Rajasthan, the party leadership now has to brace for more tremors from down south Kerala too.
Tour de Kerala
Shashi Tharoor’s Malabar tour has reportedly unnerved a section of the Kerala Congress leaders, leading to Youth Congress pulling out of a seminar, planned for Tharoor. Tharoor supporter K Muraleedharan called blocking this event a conspiracy saying Tharoor getting active in Kerala politics is unsettling CM hopefuls in the Congress.
Tharoor a CM canditate?
K Muraleedharan, a senior Congress leader in Kerala, said that Tharoor’s moves could have been spurred by media reports projecting him as a CM candidate. “It could have caused issues to persons who desire the post. I don’t have issues as I don’t have such desires. Not everyone is like that. They (YC) had to back out of the programme due to some pressure. I know what it is but I will not discuss it in public as it is an internal matter of the party,” Muraleedharan added.
A Tharoor faction?
The Thiruvananthapuram MP’s political outreach, not officially objected by the Congress leadership, is Tharoor’s first solo act miles beyond his Lok Sabha constituency. His supporters are now being dubbed “the Tharoor faction” in Kerala, where the Congress is divided into camps led by powerful leaders.
Tharoor speaks: “Some are saying it is divisive tactics or groupism. We do not intend to create any group nor are we interested in it. Congress is already full of ‘A’ and ‘I’ groups and there is no need to add any more alphabets like ‘O’ and ‘V’. If there has to be an alphabet, it should be ‘U’ for a united Congress which is what we all need. I fail to see the need to make a big deal out of two UDF MPs meeting an ally’s leaders,” said Tharoor after meeting Congress’s biggest ally Muslim League leaders.
On the ground
Tharoor has shared images on Twitter of what he described as an overwhelming participation by the Youth Congress. “Wonderful welcome by @iyc activists in Kozhikode after some came under pressure not to provide me a platform.”
Today, Tharoor is in Kannur, the home turf of Kerala Congress chief K Sudhakaran, who is not happy with Tharoor’s Malabar tour.
