NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor will skip a meeting convened by the Congress high command on Friday to review preparations for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. Party sources have attributed his absence to displeasure over an incident involving Rahul Gandhi at a party event in Kochi. According to sources, Tharoor felt “insulted” during a recent Mahapanchayat held in Kochi, which was attended by Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders. “Given his seniority and his position as a Congress Working Committee member, Tharoor felt that Rahul Gandhi should have mentioned his name. The party cannot afford to ignore his popularity during the assembly election campaign,” said a senior party leader.

Source: Indian Express January 23, 2026 11:35 UTC