Cong discusses poll strategy ahead of Kerala polls, Tharoor skips meeting

New Delhi, Jan 23: Ahead of the assembly elections in Kerala, the Congress' top leadership held a strategy meeting with leaders from the state, even as Shashi Tharoor skipped the key brainstorming session amid reports that he is "upset" at Rahul Gandhi ignoring him at a recent event.

The Congress, however, denied that anyone was upset. It claimed that Tharoor had already discussed his inability to attend the meeting with the leaders.

Discussing poll preparedness, campaign strategy and seat-sharing within the UDF alliance in Kerala, the party's top leadership stressed the importance of maintaining unity among the state unit ranks to ensure victory in the upcoming polls expected to take place in April.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed the people of Kerala are yearning for change, and the UDF will ensure progressive and development-oriented governance in the state.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, attended the meeting held at Kharge's residence, where all senior Kerala Congress leaders were present.

AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal, the party's in-charge for Kerala affairs, Deepa Dasmunshi, senior observers for Kerala polls, Sachin Pilot and K J George, senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala, CLP leader V D Satheesan and Kerala unit chief Sunny Joseph were also present at the key strategy meet.

In a post on X after the meeting, Kharge said that 3.6 crore people of Kerala are yearning for change. "The Congress party, along with our partners in the UDF, is determined to ensure progressive, development-oriented, welfare-based governance in the state. An important preparatory meeting with Kerala Congress leaders was held for the forthcoming Assembly elections," he said.

Venugopal said they had a very fruitful meeting on Bihar and Kerala.

"In the Kerala meeting, election preparations were discussed, campaign mood and electioneering of the Kerala elections were also discussed. There was a very smooth discussion.

"Kharge ji and Rahul ji listened to the views of Kerala leaders, and we are unitedly going for elections. We are very much sure that we are going to cross 100 seats in this election," Venugopal told reporters after the meeting.