Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has emerged as the most preferred candidate for the Kerala Chief Minister’s post, according to a pre-poll survey by Mumbai-based VoteVibe. The survey comes at a time when Tharoor’s ties with the Congress high command remain strained.
Tharoor, a four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, shared the results on his X handle on Wednesday. The post, shared by a supporter and tagged to senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and K.C. Venugopal, claimed he was the “best bet” for the 2026 Kerala polls.
The VoteVibe survey showed Tharoor leading with 28.3% support among voters. Interestingly, 27.1% of respondents remained undecided about the United Democratic Front (UDF) leadership, indicating a vacuum in opposition leadership.
Within the Left Democratic Front (LDF), former health minister K.K. Shailaja topped preferences at 24.2%, while incumbent CM Pinarayi Vijayan trailed at 17.5%.
However, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph downplayed the survey, stating that Congress finalises leadership only after election results and through a proper process.
Tharoor’s strained relations with the party centre began when he contested against Mallikarjun Kharge for Congress president. His exclusion from Operation Sindoor, an outreach initiative by way of the Union government, in addition widened the space. Yet, PM Narendra Modi later invited Tharoor to steer a delegation to the US, sparking new political intrigue.
While acknowledging inner variations, Tharoor said he remains open to talk with celebration management if approached. With public aid visibly rising, it remains to be seen whether the Congress will include or withstand Tharoor’s growing influence in Kerala politics.
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