Shashi Tharoor Misses Another Key Congress Meeting, Cites Dubai Travel Plans

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor once again did not attend a crucial party meeting on Tuesday. Speaking about his absence, Tharoor said he received the meeting invitation at the last minute, by which time his travel plans to Dubai were already finalized.

Repeated Absences Raise Eyebrows
This is not the first time Tharoor has skipped an important meeting. A few days ago, he had also missed a high-level discussion at Congress President Kharge’s residence regarding the Kerala elections. Sources suggest that his repeated absences are being attributed to differences with both the party leadership and local Congress leaders.

Dubai Travel Plans Confirmed
Commenting on Tuesday’s meeting, Tharoor said, “The invitation arrived only yesterday or the day before. By then, my travel plans were already finalized. Since the parliamentary session is ongoing, I had booked a direct flight from Dubai to Delhi.”

The meeting had been convened by Congress Legislative Party (CLP) Chairperson and former party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence to discuss issues to be raised during the budget session of Parliament starting Wednesday.

Direct Communication with Party Leadership
Tharoor, a four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, confirmed that he had informed the party in advance about his absence. He also stated that he intends to raise his “issues” directly with the top leadership during the parliamentary session, emphasizing that he expects the opportunity to do so when all leaders are present.

Tensions Within the Party
In recent months, Tharoor’s repeated praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government has reportedly caused friction within Congress. In May 2025, during the five-day India-Pakistan conflict and Operation Sindoor, he had openly supported government actions, which sources claim led to his marginalization in party affairs.