Congress MP Shashi Tharoor once again skipped the Congress Lok Sabha MPs’ meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi on Friday, raising fresh questions within the party about his frequent absences. Although Tharoor had informed the leadership beforehand, the Congress Chief Whip said he did not know the reason for his absence.
Tharoor, who has occasionally praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past, has faced growing scrutiny from within the Congress. His absence from key strategy discussions has added to internal speculation. Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari was also absent from Friday’s meeting.
According to his public schedule, Tharoor was in Kolkata on Thursday night for an event hosted by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation, suggesting he may not have been able to return to Delhi in time.
Absences Trigger Party Speculation
This comes days after Tharoor clarified that he missed a November 30 strategy meeting only because he was on a flight returning from Kerala. He has also skipped discussions on the SIR issue, citing ill health.
Some Congress leaders are reportedly uneasy about the pattern, especially since Tharoor was the only Congress leader invited to the state banquet hosted by the President for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
