THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rahul Gandhi’s truce with Shashi Tharoor appears to have been driven by a few clear considerations. With crucial elections ahead, the Congress could not afford a setback in the form of Tharoor joining any other secular democratic party. Such a move would have raised questions about Congress’s ability to accomodate dissenting voices in a democratic setup.
The party also could not afford a prolonged public spat among senior leaders, which would have reinforced the narrative of internal disunity. The Congress realised Tharoor has a strong personal brand, cross party appeal, and credibility beyond the organisation. Marginalising him risked alienating urban, English speaking and middle-class voters the Congress was trying to win back.
As Kerala remains one of Congress’s few strongholds, any open confrontation involving Tharoor could have hurt the party’s prospects. Moreover, amid criticism that dissenting voices are sidelined, accommodating Tharoor helps Rahul project openness to internal debate and alternative views within the party.
In Rahul associates assessment, while Tharoor had expressed differences, he stopped short of outright defiance or rebellion. The high command also realized that the incident involving the perceived snubbing of Tharoor had created a favourable sentiment for the Thiruvananthapuram MP, making reconciliation easier.
On Tharoor’s side, occupying a centrist position in politics, the Congress offers flexibility and a place more comfortable than any other political party. Having long brushed aside any idea of shifting to the Saffron fold, his first option was always to continue in the Congress.
On Thursday, neither Rahul's office nor Tharoor's expected the meeting to last beyond 15 minutes. “If Rahul had merely tried to pacify Tharoor,asked him to forget the unpleasant incident and parted ways with a cordial handshake, I don’t think this outcome would have been possible,” said a senior leader. “In that case, Tharoor might have felt he had no future in the party. Instead, both sides spoke candidly. They did not dwell much on the Kochi incident. Rather, they opened their hearts and discussed issues dating back to 2014,” he said.
According to party sources, in the two hour forty five minute long discussion, both Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge pointed out that on several occasions after the Modi government came to power at the centre in 2014, Tharoor had taken what they perceived as a soft stand.
They cited his acceptance of the Swachh Bharat brand ambassador post as an example. They reportedly told the MP that this positioning had reached a point where he appeared to have taken a stand contrary to the Congress's position on Operation Sindhoor. Kharge and Rahul cautioned Tharoor against putting the party in an embarrassing situation.
Meanwhile, Tharoor explained his positions on issues ranging from national security to foreign affairs. He reportedly assured leadership that he would take public positions only after consulting with them. Both Rahul and Kharge have also told Tharoor to contact them at any time to discuss any issue.
Sources in the Congress said, Tharoor asked the leadership that, as a Working Committee member, he should be given adequate space and involvement in organisational matters related with Kerala, a request they agreed to. They also asked him to be one of the major faces of the election campaign in Kerala.
After the meeting the high command conveyed to the Kerala leadership that Tharoor should be part of any decision making process and ensured his involvement in major programmes and meetings. On Friday, while reaching Congress headquarter, Indiara Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, the resonance of the outcome of the meeting was visible on the faces of state leaders as they all greeted him.