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Shashi Tharoor: Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor once again remained absent from a crucial meeting of the party’s Lok Sabha members chaired by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday. This marks the third consecutive high-level Congress parliamentary meeting that the former Union minister has skipped, prompting quiet but growing concern among party colleagues about his commitment to collective decision-making.

Party sources confirmed that Tharoor had informed the leadership in advance about his inability to attend, yet the Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Manickam Tagore, claimed he was not aware of any specific reason. The absence comes at a time when the Congress is attempting to present a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament.

Kolkata Event Kept Tharoor Away This Time

According to the MP’s publicly shared schedule, Shashi Tharoor was in Kolkata on Thursday evening to attend a literary event organised by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation. The timing suggests he may not have been able to return to the national capital in time for the Friday morning meeting. Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari was also absent from the same gathering.

This is not the first instance in recent weeks where prior commitments outside Delhi have coincided with important Congress meetings. The pattern has inevitably drawn attention within the party’s rank and file.

Earlier Absences and Official Explanations

Only a fortnight ago, Tharoor missed the Congress strategic group meeting held on November 30. At the time, he explained that he was airborne, travelling from Kerala to Delhi, and therefore could not participate. “I did not skip it deliberately; I was on a plane coming from Kerala,” he told reporters on December 1 after questions were raised.

Similarly, during an earlier discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, Tharoor cited ill health and the responsibility of accompanying his 90-year-old mother on a flight from Thiruvananthapuram. His office issued a statement saying the MP reached Delhi only after the meeting had concluded. On that occasion, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal was also absent as he was campaigning for local body elections in Kerala.

Invitation to Putin Banquet Added to Discomfort

The string of absences has become particularly sensitive because Tharoor was the only Congress representative invited to the state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu in honour of Russian President Vladimir Putin during his recent visit to India. The invitation, extended in Tharoor’s capacity as chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, raised eyebrows within the party.

Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera publicly expressed unease, stating, “Everyone’s conscience has a voice. When my leaders are not invited but I am, we should understand why the game is being played, who is playing it, and why we should not become a part of it.” Although Khera later clarified that his remarks were general in nature, the comment was widely interpreted as an indirect reference to Tharoor’s solo presence at the high-profile diplomatic event.

Balancing Multiple Roles or Signal of Drift?

Colleagues acknowledge that Shashi Tharoor maintains one of the busiest non-political schedules among Congress parliamentarians. Between book launches, international conferences, television appearances, and literary festivals, his calendar is almost always packed. Supporters argue that his intellectual stature and global network enhance the party’s image and help attract urban, English-speaking voters who might otherwise lean towards the BJP.

Yet a section of the leadership worries that frequent absence from internal strategy sessions sends the wrong message at a time when Rahul Gandhi is emphasising discipline and collective responsibility. Some leaders privately wonder whether Tharoor, who contested the Congress presidential election in 2022 and secured over a thousand votes, still feels completely aligned with the current party line under Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

No Official Reprimand So Far

As of now, the party high command has chosen not to issue any public reprimand or seek a detailed explanation beyond the reasons already provided by Tharoor’s office. Senior leaders maintain that absences due to prior commitments or health issues are understandable, provided they remain exceptions rather than the norm.

Nevertheless, with Parliament’s Winter Session approaching and several confrontational issues on the horizon — ranging from Manipur violence to economic slowdown, the Congress would prefer complete attendance and visible unity among its most prominent faces.

Whether Tharoor’s latest absence was purely logistical or indicative of a deeper disconnect remains a matter of speculation within Congress circles. For now, the party appears willing to give one of its most articulate voices the benefit of the doubt but the whispers of discomfort are unlikely to die down entirely until the Thiruvananthapuram MP is seen regularly at the table where key decisions are made.