Shashi Tharoor Meets Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge Amid Speculation Of Internal Rift

In a post on X, Tharoor shared a photo from his meeting with the two leaders and wrote, “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.”

Tharoor's post put to rest the growing speculation of tense ties between the party colleagues. The buzz began spreading after reports claimed that Shashi Tharoor was "upset" with the party leadership due to a 'snub' by Rahul Gandhi at a recent event in Kerala's Kochi.

What added fuel to the fire was Tharoor skipping two party meetings.

During the first meeting, a crucial brainstorming session called by Kharge at his residence in Delhi, Tharoor was in Kozhikode, attending a literature festival. While an official statement mentioned that Tharoor had "prior permission" to attend the literary festival, news agency PTI had reported that insiders blamed a "tipping point" from a party event in Kochi on January 19.