Tharoor Dismisses Kerala CM Speculation Ahead of Polls

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday dismissed speculation about his potential candidacy for chief minister of Kerala, emphasizing that he is not contesting the upcoming assembly elections and believes the position should go to an elected member of the legislature. In an interview ahead of the polls scheduled for April 9, Tharoor outlined his role as co-chair of the United Democratic Front's campaign committee, saying he plans to travel across all 14 districts to rally support for the Congress-led alliance.

The 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, announced by the Election Commission on March 15, will cover 140 seats in a single phase, with vote counting set for May 4. The current assembly's term ends on May 23, but the early polling date has caught parties off guard, leaving just over three weeks for campaigning after nominations close on Monday. Tharoor expressed surprise at the timeline, noting that under the Constitution, voting could have occurred as late as early May. He described the compressed schedule as challenging, particularly since many candidates were announced only recently, including a Congress list of 55 followed by 37 more.