Tharoor eyeing CM post? Amid rift with party leadership, Congress MP shares survey naming him front-runner for UDF

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday shared a survey on his X profile that projects him as the leading candidate for the chief ministerial post from the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. The survey, conducted by independent agency Vote Vibe, names Tharoor as the top choice for the UDF's chief ministerial face in the 2026 Kerala assembly elections.

🙏🏼 https://t.co/hn1upxKlFM

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 9, 2025

Tharoor, who represents Thiruvananthapuram constituency in the Lok Sabha, shared the results of the survey, which claims there is strong anti-incumbency in the state and that he is preferred by 28.3% of respondents as the UDF’s CM candidate.

The survey notes that 30% of male respondents support Tharoor, compared to 27% of female respondents. It also shows higher backing among older voters—34.2% among those aged 55 and above—while support among the 18–24 age group stands at 20.3%.

Kerala 2026. The Vibe Is Loud.

> Rising anti-incumbency
> 62% want change
> UDF leads, LDF fades, NDA rises
> Leadership vacuum in both camps
---> The full story is out.

Dive into the State Vibe – Kerala Elections 2026 report now: https://t.co/0GHBKUSTHu@CPIMKerala @INCKerala… pic.twitter.com/Vghhs5dcES

— Vote Vibe (@VoteVibeIndia) July 8, 2025

Tharoor’s relationship with the Congress leadership has been under strain since he contested the party president election against Mallikarjun Kharge. The friction reportedly increased when his name did not appear on the list of Congress leaders suggested for the Union government’s Operation Sindoor outreach.

Despite this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi later invited Tharoor to head a delegation to the United States and other countries. Tharoor’s public statements, including those interpreted as favourable towards the Prime Minister, have also caused discomfort within the Congress’s Kerala unit.