‘He is seeking for himself a bigger position in the organisation’.
NEW DELHI: As the focus on Congress’ top body Congress Working Committee (CWC) is increasing, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is travelling to Kerala every week to communicate with the masses to establish himself as a popular leader. Moreover, sources suggest, he is seeking for himself a bigger position in the organisation so he can lead the state cadre (Kerala) with more authority.
The entry of Tharoor into the CWC, according to Congress leaders, will make him more powerful and let him harness more human support within the party. A party leader said, “There is a persistent talk within the Congress in the state that if Tharoor is not supported, the party could see a downfall as there is leadership vacuum which has led to a leadership crisis. Earlier, we had Oonmen Chandy, but now he is ailing and recovering. Moreover, it is Tharoor who could be the one to replace Chandy.”
Word is, Tharoor may have been one among the top Congress leaders who may have approached Rahul Gandhi to suggest his name to be inducted into Congress Working Committee (CWC).
However, there are widespread talks within the AICC corridors, about the Gandhi scion having categorically refused to be part of any selection activity for the nomination process of CWC team. A source said, “Khargeji is the Congress president and he will decide who and what is good for the party.”
Such murmurs, therefore, have fuelled political gossip that the Congress high command is on its way to form a new coterie which will push the party onto a new political ride. Something that has never been experienced by the party yet. The changing dynamics within the party, as is said, would also create space for young politicians who will be a part of strategy formulation for the grand old party.
According to political observers, Tharoor’s popularity graph has shot up. There is, at the same time, a political checkpoint for him, in the state, in the way of K.C. Venugopal who after ceding his ambitions in his home state (Kerala) would not like him to step up into the CWC. However, according to sources close to Tharoor, Venugopal’s loyalists have accepted Tharoor’s leadership and softened their approach towards him.
Venugopal is believed to have had chief ministerial ambitions in the state and till lately, it was presumed that the power tussle between the two could break out and divide the Congress camp in the state. However, Venugopal chose not to confront which has given Tharoor bigger space to practice his political activities freely and dominate the political landscape outside his party.
A political analyst said, “Given the support he is getting in the state, if he continues to gather support for himself in coming times as well, the Congress will benefit immensely. Moreover, if the top leadership accepts his leadership role and supports his ventures, it will bring good days for everyone in the state unit. There is also enough time for the party to figure out rights and wrongs until the next Assembly elections. Tharoor at the centre sounds way better than anyone they have in their Kerala camp.”