Congress leadership in Kerala has asked party leaders to keep off from open statements and counter statements over party MP Shashi Tharoor's ongoing North Kerala tour.
The Tharoor camps were indeed gaining from the row over the undeclared ban allegedly imposed by the Congress leadership on Tharoor's programmes. The diplomat-turned-politician was receiving more attention and open support from more leaders in the wake of the row.
Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran on Monday asked the party leaders and workers to keep off from statements and actions that affect the party's unity. Reiterating that Tharoor has every right to work freely in the party, Sudhakaran urged party leaders not to cause damage to the party over the issue.
Sudhakaran's statement came close on the heels of Congress leader K Muraleedharan alleging that the ban on Tharoor was imposed by some leaders who fear that Tharoor may cast a shadow over their prospects to become chief minister. Opposition leader V D Satheesan refused to comment on it.
Tharoor went ahead with meetings with eminent personalities and programmes as scheduled earlier. Tharoor said that people who love Congress were turning up for his programmes. Writer T Padmanabhan, who was among those who openly supported Tharoor, said that Tharoor was enjoying the support of the youth.
On Tuesday Tharoor will be meeting the Indian Union Muslim League leadership.
Congress sources said that Tharoor was trying to keep party leaders in Kerala on their toes for taking a position against him during the party presidential election. Even as he did not expect open support from party leaders, many leaders took open stands against him under the impression that he would face a humiliating defeat in the presidential election. Those leaders are now really worried about the backing that Tharoor is receiving in the state.
Tharoor is MP from Thiruvananthapuram for the third term in a row and already some leaders were learnt to be eyeing the seat in the next Lok Sabha election. Congress MP from Kozhikode M K Raghavan, who is now strongly backing Tharoor, is also facing a similar situation. Hence it is crucial for both these leaders to reposition themselves in Congress in Kerala, which is already top-heavy, sources pointed out.