Shashi Tharoor to contest against Rajeev Chandrasekhar in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Shashi Tharoor's candidacy from Thiruvananthapuram for the 2024 Lok Sabha Election has been confirmed by the Congress's central election committee that sat in New Delhi on Thursday, setting up his contest against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

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Shashi Tharoor vs. Rajeev Chandrasekhar

In his first Lok Sabha election, Rajeev Chandrasekhar is set to face a crucial test against Shashi Tharoor, who seeks his fourth term. The BJP, with no Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, will depend heavily on Chandrasekhar in the state for its debut.

For Tharoor, securing victory on his home turf is crucial, especially as it may influence his future in electoral politics.

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What happened in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections?

In the 2019 elections, Tharoor garnered over four lakh votes, securing a substantial lead over the BJP candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan, who received approximately 3.16 lakh votes.

Chandrasekhar on being fielded from Thiruvananthapuram

“I am very excited and honoured. This is the first opportunity I have got to contest in the Lok Sabha. I express gratitude to PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda who have chosen to field me as their candidate in the capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram... It's a campaign I look forward to and I will start it very shortly...The people of Thiruvananthapuram are more powerful and they will decide who they want to see victorious. BJP will have a decisive mandate in the coming elections…” Rajeev Chandrasekhar said.

What did Tharoor say?

Shashi Tharoor said that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate should not be taken lightly and so it will be a three-cornered contest from Thiruvananthapuram.

"Don't forget that I took the seat from the Communist Party and the gentleman who is the candidate now, was the sitting MP when I came into the fray. He did not contest again at that time and it has now been 15 years that he is out of the fray. So it remains to be seen how Mr Pannyan Raveendran (CPM candidate in 2024) does...BJP has come second in the last two Lok Sabha elections. So, they have to be taken seriously," the senior Congress leader said.