Shashi Tharoor Skips Rahul Gandhi's Meet With Congress MPs For Third Time In Three Weeks

Last Updated:December 12, 2025, 13:42 IST

The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who has been under the scanner after a series of remarks seen as unusually warm toward PM Modi, said that he was in Kolkata for personal commitments

A file photo of Shashi Tharoor (PTI)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was absent yet again from a meeting of the party’s Lok Sabha lawmakers on Friday, his third consecutive no-show in recent weeks.

Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, chaired the strategic review session with the Congress’ 99 MPs to assess the party’s performance in the winter session and sharpen their attack on the BJP before Parliament adjourns on December 19. Tharoor, however, was missing from the gathering.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who has been under the scanner after a series of remarks seen as unusually warm toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, posted on X that he was in Kolkata for two personal commitments, his longtime aide John Koshy’s wedding and his sister Smita Tharoor’s birthday.

Congress MP Manish Tewari was also absent from Friday’s meeting.

Earlier Two Absences In November

This is the third time since late November that Tharoor has skipped key party discussions.

On November 30, he missed a strategy meet led by Sonia Gandhi, a session notable given that Tharoor was among the G-23 leaders who publicly questioned her leadership in 2020.

He later clarified he had been mid-air during a delayed flight from Kerala with his 90-year-old mother. KC Venugopal was also absent from that meeting.

He skipped a meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on the party’s objections to the controversial voter re-verification exercise on November 18. Tharoor cited poor health at the time.

A day before, Tharoor had attended a private event where the Prime Minister spoke.

His social media post praising parts of the PM’s address triggered a backlash from Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate and Sandeep Dikshit, the latter even suggesting Tharoor leave the party if he found PM Modi’s views compelling.

Tharoor hit back, arguing for cross-ideological cooperation in India’s federal setup.

According to sources, the last major party discussion Tharoor participated in was a six-hour strategy huddle held by the Kerala Congress unit in October.

Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were all present as the state prepared for next year’s Assembly elections.

At Friday morning’s meeting, Rahul Gandhi encouraged MPs to intensify their interventions in Parliament and repeated his claim from Thursday that the BJP, particularly Union Home Minister Amit Shah, was feeling the pressure.

“Amit Shahji was very nervous… he used the wrong language, his hands were trembling… he is under tremendous mental pressure. Everyone saw it," Rahul said, doubling down on his allegation that the Congress’ aggressive stance was unsettling the ruling party.

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