Tharoor back in campaign spotlight as Congress signals thaw in Kerala

A thaw was visible in Shashi Tharoors strained ties with Congress leaders in Kerala after his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, with a prominent state leader on Friday naming the Thiruvananthapuram MP a star campaigner for the party-led UDF in the upcoming polls.

A thaw was visible in Shashi Tharoor's strained ties with Congress leaders in Kerala after his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, with a prominent state leader on Friday naming the Thiruvananthapuram MP a star campaigner for the party-led UDF in the upcoming polls. Tharoor met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Thursday to seek redress for his grievances, after which he said ''all is good'' and ''we are all on the same page'', signalling a rapprochement with his party ahead of the crucial Kerala Assembly polls. ''He (Tharoor) will be in the front row of the campaign initiated by the UDF in Kerala for the elections,'' Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, told reporters here in response to a query. Describing Tharoor as a global citizen and a noted writer, Satheesan said he has a strong connect with the people. ''So, he will be at the forefront of the election campaign. He is also part of the Congress party in Kerala and will be more active in the state because of the elections. For the next two months, he will be here,'' Satheesan said. He added that the party is planning to take him to all 140 assembly constituencies in Kerala. Last week, Tharoor skipped a key Kerala poll strategy meeting amid reported disappointment over being sidelined, with the tipping point said to be Rahul Gandhi not acknowledging him at a Kochi event. Sources said Gandhi named other senior leaders on stage but did not mention Tharoor, a four-time MP and CWC member, triggering fresh unease. He also faced criticism last year over remarks on India-Pakistan tensions, though Tharoor has maintained his views align with the party and support bipartisan foreign policy.

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