The Congress in Kerala – back in the news again over its row with senior leader Shashi Tharoor – has started damage control measures, starting with a meeting. Senior leaders of the party are expected to meet on Friday. While the agenda is the state election, the row over Mr Tharoor and the importance of speaking in one voice will definitely feature, sources indicated. 

Sources said the Kerala Congress leaders have consciously decided not to respond to Mr Tharoor or his remarks. 

Responding would turn it into friendly fire – a situation the party is trying to avoid in view of the state assembly election scheduled later this year. 

The focus, sources said,  should be against the CPM and its government and the BJP . 

They also added that they have dropped the matter after Mr Tharoor’s meeting with Rahul Gandhi on February 19. The interview Mr Tharoor gave to a daily was before he met Mr Gandhi, sources said.

Mr Tharoor – a former Union minister and a four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram — has upset his party by praising the CPM’s policies in Kerala and the state’s growth. 

His comments stung more, coming on the heels of his earlier praises for Prime Minister Narendra Modi over meeting with US President Donald Trump.

In a strongly worded editorial, a regional party mouthpiece said it was “suicidal” to weaken the party from within, and accused him of representing a ‘distorted’ political practice. 

Mr Tharoor clarified last week he was merely highlighting the state’s progress in the startup sector. 

Then, not one to mince words, he made it clear that he would pursue his own interests if the party did not want him.

“If the party wants me then I will be there for the party. If not, I have my own things to do. You should not think that I don’t have any option to spend time. I have options. I have my books, speeches, invitations from across the world for talks,” he said.