Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday publicly acknowledged that he has differences with the party leadership, stating that he was not invited to campaign for the Congress candidate in the Nilambur Assembly byelection.
“As you know, I have disagreements with the current Congress leadership. Some of them are already in the public domain. It’s better to resolve these issues internally by speaking directly with them,” Tharoor told reporters.
He clarified that his absence from the Nilambur campaign was not by choice. “I didn’t campaign because I wasn’t invited,” Tharoor said, while reiterating his long-standing association and emotional bond with the party and its grassroots workers.
“I have been working with the Congress and its dedicated cadre for the last 16 years. Their commitment and idealism are something I deeply value,” he added.
When asked whether his differences lie with the central leadership or the Kerala state unit, Tharoor declined to elaborate. “Today is not the time to go into those matters, especially with voting underway. My best wishes remain with my friend Aryadan Shoukath, our candidate in Nilambur,” he said.
Tharoor acknowledged that some of his disagreements have already been reported in the media. “That’s a fact and can’t be hidden,” he noted, but expressed hope for a Congress victory, citing the strength of the party’s candidate and workers.
The Nilambur byelection was triggered by the resignation of independent MLA PV Anvar, formerly aligned with the Left Democratic Front (LDF), who later joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath voiced optimism about the outcome. “The government has completely neglected Nilambur. Tribals haven’t been rehabilitated, and human-animal conflict is on the rise. People want change,” he told ANI.