Nueva Delhi: Rahul Gandhi sought to project the unity within Congress in Kerala, sharing a photo with state leaders and subtitling it: “They join as one, united by the light of the purpose ahead. #Teamkerla.” The row broke out after Tharoor’s article in an English newspaper, where it seemed to congratulate the industrial policies of the LDF government.
His statements fed the speculation about a crack within the Congress, especially when he mentioned in the podcast that the Kerala Congress Unit lacked a decisive leader. Tharoor had also shared a selfie with the minister of the Union, Piyush Goyal, and the Secretary of State of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Reynolds, who joined the speculation about his position within the party.
At a high -level meeting at the headquarters of Congress on Friday, Rahul Gandhi and the head of the Mallikarjun Kharge party reinforced the importance of discipline and unity within the Kerala unit. According to PTI sources, Gandhi urged leaders to take into account their political strategy and refrain from making statements that contradict the line of the party. The three -hour discussion focused on strengthening the organization and guaranteeing a collective approach before the next elections.
Kharge emphasized that Congress remains deeply related to the people of Kerala, both emotionally and politically. AICC by Kerala, Deepa Dasmunshi, said after the meeting that leadership had made it clear that any comment that does not respect the feelings of the state of the state would not be tolerated. He also dismissed speculation about the disunity within the party, stating that all leaders were committed to fighting the rulers in the state.
Tharoor, who had been subject to scrutiny for his recent comments, reiterated his commitment to the unity of the party. His comments on a Malayalam podcast had been perceived by some as an offer for a higher leadership role in Kerala. However, the sources confirm that no clarification was requested during the meeting, since he had already explained that his words were misrepresented in English translation. Tharoor then published in X, stating that the meeting had ended with a “strong statement of party unit“
Despite the internal debates, Congress remains focused on its electoral strategy in Kerala, with plans to launch extensive dissemination programs from April. Senior Ramesh Chennithala leader reiterated that there were no internal divisions, and the party would fight against the elections as a united front. The president of Congress, Kharge, also declared that people in Kerala would reject both the LDF and the BJP in the next surveys, indicating the determination of the party to claim power in the state.
The Kerala Assembly elections are scheduled for 2026.