Kerala: Crucial days ahead for Shashi Tharoor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fate of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will be decided in two weeks' time, when the AICC announces its list of members at the upcoming plenary in Rajasthan.

Tharoor's stock has definitely increased and now it will be known if he is going to be wanted in the scheme of things for new president Mallikarjuna Kharge, to whom he lost the presidential race.

A bright spot for Tharoor is that recently, three Congress MPs from Kerala went and personally met Kharge and requested him to consider the Thiruvananthapuram MP for greater responsibilities in the party.

According to a source in the know of things, Kharge told them that it's a bit too early to decide on such things and that it would be looked into at an appropriate time.

Sadly, despite his tall status of being a popular leader who can address issues in the floor of the state Assembly, at the ongoing session so far, he has not been given opportunities matching his capabilities to take on the Modi government.

Though a section of the top brass in the party from Kerala is batting for Tharoor, there are some opposed to him, especially the faction close to leader of opposition V.D.Satheesan and the AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C.Venugopal, now considered the closest aide of Rahul Gandhi.

In the present AICC team, veteran A.K.Antony, Oommen Chandy and Venugopal are working committee members and it remains to be seen if the first two who have health issues will be considered as full time members.

But according to sources, former leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala is keen to get into the highest body of the party.

The selection to the AICC is made through nomination and then there is an election too and it remains to be seen if Tharoor is keen to contest.