Congress’ Shashi Tharoor has ruled himself out of the running for the Chief Minister’s office in Kerala, dismissing rumours that he might lead the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the 2026 Assembly elections. Speaking on Thursday, the Congress MP clarified that he will not be contesting the polls at all, noting that the selection of a Chief Minister remains the prerogative of the party high command in consultation with newly elected MLAs. Tharoor explained that his focus is entirely on his role as co-chair of the campaign committee, a position that requires him to tour all 14 districts to communicate the party’s platform to the electorate.
While Tharoor offered a modest prediction of 72 to 75 seats for the Congress-led alliance — just over the majority mark in the 140-seat assembly — he noted that his colleagues are aiming for a more dominant showing of up to 100 seats. He launched a scathing critique of the incumbent CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), arguing that ten years of misgovernance has transformed the famed "Kerala model" into a "debt model." According to Tharoor, the financial position of the state is such that it is not in a position to pay salaries in September.
Tharoor has proposed a number of daring economic changes in the state, such as introducing an Investor Protection Act. He also suggested that Kerala should leverage its ageing demographic by developing high-end retirement communities, effectively becoming "the Florida of India." He accused the Communists of systemic cronyism, alleging that public funds and state contracts are consistently funnelled toward party cadres rather than genuine public service. Regarding the BJP, Tharoor remained dismissive, describing the party as practically non-existent in the assembly and unlikely to hold any sway as a kingmaker, despite their different performance levels in national elections.
The MP also expressed his surprise at the "telescoped" election timeline set by the Election Commission. With polling scheduled for 9 April and the announcement only made on March 17, Tharoor remarked that the three-week window is unusually tight. While he stopped short of officially ascribing motives to the timing, he noted that some believe the short notice benefits incumbents. Following the release of the Congress’s candidate lists — which include state president Sunny Joseph and Opposition Leader VD Satheesan — Tharoor confirmed he is heading straight to the front lines on Friday to begin an intensive campaign circuit ahead of the May 4 vote count.
Also read: Tharoor confident of Congress' victory in Kerala polls
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