Daijiworld Media Network- Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 28: Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has once again found himself in the spotlight amid reports of internal discord within the party.

Ahead of a crucial meeting of Kerala Congress leaders with the party’s high command, Tharoor shared a cryptic post on X (formerly Twitter), quoting Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’.

"If you can keep your head when those about you are losing theirs, and blaming it on you…" wrote Tharoor, hinting at the ongoing controversy.

Tharoor has drawn flak from his party colleagues for praising the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government in Kerala for its investment initiatives and lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit. Additionally, his recent photograph with Union Minister Piyush Goyal has sparked criticism within the Congress ranks.

While some leaders view these actions as crossing the party’s “Laxman Rekha”, Tharoor remains unfazed. He has maintained that his conscience is clear and that his remarks were made in the larger interest of governance and diplomacy.

Tharoor is expected to attend the Congress leadership meeting scheduled at 4 PM today at the new party headquarters, Indira Bhavan. The primary agenda of the meeting is to assess the party’s preparedness for the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala. However, Tharoor’s recent remarks and actions are likely to be discussed as well.

Expressing confidence in the party’s strength, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala stated,

"Whenever elections approach, the AICC holds strategy meetings. The Congress is strong in Kerala, and this meeting aims to further bolster our position."

This is not the first time Tharoor has turned to Kipling’s poetry for inspiration. In a 2008 article, he described ‘If’ as a poem that speaks “immortal truths”, emphasizing the importance of standing firm in one’s beliefs despite criticism, opposition, or distortion of motives.

With the Kerala Assembly elections on the horizon, Tharoor’s independent stance continues to raise questions about his position within the Congress and its electoral strategy in the state.