Shashi Tharoor Says He Wasn’t Invited To Nilambur Bypoll Campaign, Congress Denies Claim

While Shashi Tharoor downplayed the internal discord, the KPCC attributed the lapse to a "communication gap."

Congress MP and Working Committee member Shashi Tharoor has stirred debate within party circles after alleging that he was not contacted to campaign in Nilambur byelection. However, according to reports, he was officially listed as one of the party's star campaigners.

Speaking to reporters, Tharoor acknowledged the difference with Congress leaders but denied any serious internal discord, reported On Manorama. Tharoor had just returned from a five-nation diplomatic tour by an all-party team, which included meetings in the US after Operation Sindoor.

Yet, his remarks have raised eyebrows in political circles and sparked speculation about internal communication and coordination within the state unit of the Congress.

Congress Calls It "Communication Gap"

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph sought to calm the waters, attributing the lapse to a “communication gap”, as per a report on India Today. He emphasised that there was no deliberate move to sideline Tharoor and clarified that Working Committee members were not assigned specific responsibilities for the bypoll campaign.

The episode comes in the backdrop of Tharoor’s occasional divergence from party lines, including recent praise for certain aspects of the Union government's foreign policy—a stance that drew muted criticism from some colleagues.

Nilambur Bypoll Records 73.26% Voter Turnout

Voting for the Nilambur Assembly by-election in Kerala witnessed a steady turnout through the day on Thursday, crossing the 70% mark by 5 pm. According to the latest figures from the Election Commission, the final voter turnout stood at 73.26%, with the possibility of further updates.

In comparison, the constituency recorded a 75.20% turnout during the 2021 Assembly elections.

Polling began at 7 am under tight security, with central forces and state police deployed. The election process was closely monitored through an extensive webcasting setup to ensure transparency and order.

The counting of votes is scheduled for June 23.