Shashi Tharoor keen on contesting to Kerala Assembly

Kottayam: Thiruvananthapuram MP and former union minister Shashi Tharoor on Monday said that he is interested in contesting to the Kerala State Legislative Assembly. He made the statement amid speculation that he was aiming for the top post in Kerala. This is the first time that Tharoor made an explicit comment about focusing his activities in the state.

Tharoor was speaking to the media after meeting the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III.

Tharoor received a warm welcome at the headquarters of the Orthodox church.

“The church has no special affection for any political party. Congress had to remain in opposition due to a lack of unity in the party. The party has deteriorated,” Metropolitan Baselios Marthoma Mathews III said. He also asked Tharoor to become more active in state politics.

Reacting to the comment, Tharoor said he accepts the advice of the Catholicos.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP who has been actively participating in events in Kerala lately, has stirred up a hornet's nest in the party in Kerala. He does not have the support of the top brass of Congress in the state.

Tharoor had recently lost to Mallikarjun Kharge in the Congress presidential poll. He did not find a place in the top decision-making bodies of the party post the elections.

Earlier, Tharoor was invited to inaugurate the most significant event of Nair Service Society, the Mannam Jayanthi. After showering praise on Tharoor at the event, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair slammed Ramesh Chennithala and VD Satheesan in an interview given to a newspaper. He also said Tharoor could even become prime minister but his colleagues would not allow him. Tharoor is also close to the Muslim League leadership.