Tharoor Vs Colleagues: Congress asks Kerala leaders to maintain decorum

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 (IANS) In the wake of the entire Congress top brass in Kerala joining hands to take on Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, the party leadership on Monday directed all leaders, including Tharoor, to maintain decorum.

Sensing that if it does not intervene now, it might be a bit too late, the All India Congress Committee(AICC) asked the leaders to ensure that there is no more "free for all" in public domain.

The AICC leadership has asked general secretary in charge of Kerala- Tariq Anwar to see that all the "guns" stop firing in the open.

For all "political" reasons, Tharoor has now emerged as the persona-non grata for all the top party bosses in the state heading their own factions and it includes State party president K.Sudhakaran, leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and even veteran Congress leader former Defence Minister A.K.Antony.

Apparently, the only leader who has not joined the others is two-time former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The single reason for the never-seen unity at the party's top level here is Tharoor's decision to contest against Mallikarjun Kharge for the party president post, as the latter was the nominee of the party high command. Tharoor's sudden decision to oppose him sent shockwaves in the party and since then, the Lok Sabha MP has found the going getting tough.

What made them restless is Tharoor's expanding support base which now includes important social and religious groups and their heads, who recently had rolled out a red carpet, when the leader visited the headquarters.

Thanks to the proliferation of social media and the new age media and Tharoor's dabbling in it, he has emerged as the most popular politician in the state.

And sensing Tharoor has nothing to lose, while the state unit of the party has a lot to lose in the power game, the AICC finally decided to intervene.

According to sources in the know of things, it will remain like this till the conclusion of the special AICC session to be held next month, when a new set of office-bearers are elected to join Kharge.