“It Makes No Difference Whether He Attends or Not”: Congress Leader Sandeep Dikshit Takes a Swipe at Shashi Tharoor

A political storm has erupted within the Congress ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections after senior party leader and former MP Sandeep Dikshit launched a sharp attack on party MP Shashi Tharoor for skipping a crucial election-related meeting.

Reacting to Tharoor’s decision to stay away from the high-level Congress meeting, Dikshit remarked that leaders who are “irrelevant to the party” do not matter, adding bluntly that “it makes no difference whether they attend the meeting or not.”

Speaking to news agency IANS, Dikshit said that all strong and relevant Congress leaders from Kerala would be present at the meeting.
“Those who are important to the Congress and those who are strong leaders are attending. Those who are not relevant or not big leaders — whether they come or not — it makes no difference,” he said, without naming Tharoor directly.

Discontent Over Rahul Gandhi Meeting?

According to sources, Shashi Tharoor is reportedly unhappy after Rahul Gandhi did not meet him during his recent visit to Kochi. Instead of attending the party meeting, Tharoor has chosen to participate in the Kerala Literature Festival, fuelling speculation about his growing dissatisfaction within the party.

Political observers believe that a series of developments over the past few months indicate Tharoor’s discomfort with his current standing in the Congress, particularly in relation to the party’s leadership and strategy in Kerala.

Praise for Modi Government a Key Irritant

Tharoor has repeatedly raised concerns about the leadership crisis within the Kerala Congress and has discussed these issues with Rahul Gandhi in the past. However, one of the major reasons for the widening gap between Tharoor and the party leadership has been his public praise for the BJP-led NDA government on multiple occasions.

From India’s handling of the Russia–Ukraine conflict and COVID-19 vaccination drive to Operation Sindoor, Tharoor has acknowledged the Centre’s efforts — a stance that has not gone down well with the Congress high command and has reportedly contributed to increasing political distance.

As the Kerala Assembly elections draw closer, the internal rift has once again exposed fault lines within the Congress, raising questions about unity and leadership ahead of the crucial electoral battle.