Thiruvananthapuram is more than the literal home ground of MP Shashi Tharoor. Making his Lok Sabha debut through this constituency in 2009, he has continued to represent it since then.
Some fireworks are expected here this time, with Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar challenging Tharoor on his home turf to take a shot at wresting it from his firm grip.
A former diplomat, Dr Tharoor is a multi-hyphenate and a poster boy of Indian politics whose oratorical skills, clipped British accent and erudition add to his air of sophistication – something seldom encountered in the Indian political landscape.
Contesting from Thiruvananthapuram was a homecoming of sorts for the diplomat after his nearly three-decade career at the United Nations. He has also previously served as minister of state for human resource development and minister of state for external affairs in the Congress-led UPA government.
However, Tharoor has remained one of the longest sitting MPs in Parliament not just for his experience but also because of how he resonates with the people of Thiruvananthapuram. They were the ones who stood by him during one of the most difficult periods in his life that saw him caught up in a maelstrom of controversies and conspiracy theories after the death of his third wife Sunanda Pushkar.
Over to Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Electronics and Information Technology and Jal Shakti is the other strong contender for the seat. Also from Kerala, Chandrasekhar is said to have risen up the political ranks by making all the right moves. Coming from a corporate background, he is a technology entrepreneur and is believed to be media and tech savvy.
Notably, the constituency of Thiruvananthapuram has oscillated only between the CPM and the Congress, but if the whispers in the corridors of political power of the state are to be believed, Chandrasekhar has taken a leap of faith based on the election results of 2019. It was the year in which Tharoor secured over four lakh votes while the BJP candidate and RSS worker Kummanam Rajasekharan came a close second with 3.16 lakh votes.
Digs & allegations galore
Soon after the announcement of his candidature from Kerala’s capital, Chandrasekhar launched attacks on Tharoor, saying it was a contest between politics of performance and 15 years of non-performance. “People are sensible. They know who represents the politics of performance and who represents 15 years of non-performance,” he said during a media interaction.
The Congress MP lost no time in hitting back, calling Chandrasekhar an “ignorant rival,” urging him to first talk about what the saffron party had done for Thiruvananthapuram in the past 10 years. “I will turn the question around and ask what the BJP has done in Thiruvananthapuram in its 10 years in power,” he said.
An AIIMS promised for the city was promised but not delivered. “They make promises, left, right and centre but never fulfill them. Why should we trust them?” Tharoor asked.
That was not all. On the claims of the state’s top BJP leadership that the party would secure double digits in Kerala, Tharoor retorted that it was more likely that both the digits would be zero.
Not a fight between individuals
The two political rivals, however, agreed on one thing. That it was not a fight between individuals, but between ideologies. “This is not a fight between Tharoor and NDA. I do not think this is about some personality nor do I think this is a fight about English speaking skills or whatever,” said Chandrasekhar, mocking Tharoor’s famed eloquence.
“It is a fight between ideologies,” agreed Tharoor, before releasing a 70-page report of his achievements.
The leaders at the moment are feverishly campaigning for the polls. They have an active social media presence and posts showing them contacting locals, highlighting problems of the coastal communities and making appearances at events have inundated their timelines.
Tharoor, 68, and Chandrasekhar, 59 will also be contesting against Pannyian Raveendran of the CPI(M)-led LDF. Raveendran had won the elections in 2005 and is believed by many in his party to be capable of springing a surprise win.
Thiruvanathapuram goes to polls on April 26 – after which it will become clear who really matters to the locals – the suave and well-spoken Shashi or the tech savvy Chandrasekhar.
Or will Raveendran steal their thunder?
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