'All is well, we're on the same page': Tharoor after meeting Rahul, Kharge amid rift speculation

'We are all on the same page as we move forward in the service of the people of India,' said Shashi Tharoor

Amid rumours of differences within the party, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and said "we are moving together on the same page" post the meeting.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting at Parliament, Tharoor said, “We had a discussion with my two party leaders, the LoP and the Congress president. We had a very good, constructive, positive discussion.”

“All is good, and we are moving together on the same page. What more can I say? I have always campaigned for the party, where have I not campaigned?” Tharoor said, as per ANI.

#WATCH | Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "We had a discussion with my two party leaders, the LoP and the Congress president. We had a very good, constructive, positive discussion. All is good, and we are moving together on the same page. What more can I say?...I have always… https://t.co/nG97wAuRWMpic.twitter.com/iW7NRmnsQ8

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2026

He also firmly rejected suggestions that the talks involved any discussion about him seeking higher office in Kerala.

“No, that was never discussed. I am not interested in being a candidate for anything. At the moment, I am already an MP, and I have the trust of my voters from Thiruvananthapuram. I have to look after their interests in Parliament, that is my job,” he said when asked whether the Kerala chief ministership had come up.

Tharoor also thanked Kharge and Gandhi for the “warm and constructive discussion" in a post on X. He also shared a photo of himself with the two.

Thanks to @INCIndia President @kharge ji and LS LoP @RahulGandhi ji for a warm and constructive discussion today on a wide range of subjects. We are all on the same page as we move forward in the service of the people of India. pic.twitter.com/T5l8jqkhUT — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 29, 2026

The meeting between the leaders took place at Kharge's office in the Parliament. Sources said that Tharoor sought time to meet with Kharge and Gandhi to express his views and concerns, and that party would try to address those grievances before the election, according to a report by NDTV.

Rift buzz

This comes days after Tharoor skipped an important All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting to discuss preparations for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls. However, he said that he had informed his party leaders about his intention not to attend the meeting beforehand.

The Congress leader had informed the leadership that he wouldn't be able to attend the meeting, which had already been postponed, due to his prior commitments at the Kerala Literature Festival. Tharoor had gone to the festival to speak on his latest book, Sree Narayana Guru.

Meanwhile, on January 24, Tharoor clearly signalled that there are some "issues" with him and the party, and he would like to discuss them with the party's leadership.

"Whatever issues there are, I would have to discuss them with the party leadership, and I look forward to the opportunity to do so. I'm not entering into this issue in public at all," he had said, ANI reported.

However, he added that certain media reports about him skipping the meeting "might be true, while others may not be", such things should not be discussed on a public platform.

"It is better to convey concerns directly to the party leadership. Several things have appeared in the media, some of which may be true while others may not be, and that such matters should not be discussed on public platforms. I had informed the party in advance that I would not be attending the programme and whatever I have to say will be said within the party," he said, while at the Kerala literature festival.

Tharoor's absence came a few days after he was reportedly 'ignored' by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at the party's "Mahapanchayat" organised in Kochi, Kerala, on January 19.

Rahul Gandhi had entered the venue while Tharoor was addressing the Maha Panchayat. While Gandhi, along with KC Venugopal, greeted multiple party leaders, a direct greeting to Tharoor was not given.

Tharoor felt "deeply insulted" as Gandhi mentioned several other leaders on stage but not him, despite his presence. The Congress party denied any internal issues, stating Tharoor had prior commitments at the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode, ANI reported.