Shashi Tharoor is back in the Congress party as an obedient soldier after floating around as a political orphan for months. The Congress is yet to comment on a meeting the Member of Parliament held with its president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, Jan.29, days after the Gandhi-Nehru family scion reportedly ‘ignored’ him at a major party gathering in Kochi. Photos show Tharoor sitting with Kharge and Rahul in the party chief’s chamber in Delhi on Thursday without any obviously readable expression on their faces; yet the MP from Thiruvananthapuram has gone on to make the claim that the talks found the three ‘on the same page.’

That claim in plain words suggests a truce is in effect after months of provocations triggered by Tharoor himself, more than the party’s leaders. In fact the Congress had a day earlier asserted that no MP would contest the upcoming election to the state assembly, indirectly locking Tharoor’s desire to run and emerge as a chief minister candidate. He also faces the possibility of having to face his constituents once again, which would be a more challenging battle.

“I am an MP, am not seeking any new job,” he said, closing any conversation about the possibility of running for chief minister.

It is known that Tharoor had been running around trying to probe chances of emerging as a CM candidate with any of the three major formations. While the visual media had been notoriously unrestrained in its suggestions, it is no secret that the Keralite, who once ran for the post of UN secretary-general, had been nursing such an ambition. In his great urge, Tharoor revealed it to BJP leaders even as he remained a Congress MP. Yet, with all his access to Prime Minister Modi after his overseas Operation Sindoor mission, the saffron party wasn’t responsive. Obviously because they have the likes of state party chief Rajeev Chandrashekhar to play such roles in Kerala.

Tharoor could also have reflected on the fate of defectors to the BJP, for whom the party offers nothing more than a kind of political incarceration.

Tharoor wasn’t wise in bidding for a BJP job. Once it was known that the BJP had sidelined Tharoor, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India (CPI-M) showed interest in talking to him. They were always pleased with Tharoor because he had on occasions praised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, sometimes even on issues on which the Congress criticised. But they, again, were not in a position to offer him what he sought.

Vijayan is supposed to try a third term. Besides, there are any number of aspirants with a long list of claims in the party. An NRI businessman seems to have tried to talk to the CPM on Tharoor’s behalf, but they were far from interested.

Tharoor had offended the Congress more than any party would tolerate; and the party’s ‘high command’ kept ignoring him in every sense, even as many leaders in the party pressed for his expulsion. This was a phase when Tharoor looked like a political orphan.

One wonders how much Tharoor realised that politics in this country is not what he thought it was. He is right in thinking that he has qualities that give him a clear edge above any standard ‘netha’ in this country, but he was wrong if he thought it guarantees an easy elevation to top jobs. It’s beyond doubt that he could make a brilliant CM in a state which has mostly seen only leaders who live in the 17th century. Yet, the resistance from Congress leaders had been fierce.

On Thursday, Rahul and Kharge made sure Tharoor will be involved in the campaign. That could hold an advantage for the Congress in what could be one of the most fierce election battles the state has even seen. – P.P. Mathew, Consulting Editor, nrifocus.com