Shashi Tharoor advocates opportunities for youth in elections; hints at 2024 being his last contest

Shashi Tharoor. File Pic

Congress Working Committee member and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor spoke about providing opportunities for younger people to contest polls, indicating that his upcoming fight from Thiruvananthapuram in the general elections may be his last in the constituency, reported news agency PTI.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a Congress programme on Thursday, Shashi Tharoor, however, said there was no finality about it since it is politics.

"I do believe that at some point, the time comes to make room for younger people. And that's my thinking", he said, reported PTI.

In the same breath, he said, "In politics, there is another slogan which is 'never say never'", reported PTI.

He was responding to a query on his remarks in a recent TV show in which he repeatedly said the 2024 Lok Sabha elections may mark his final contest from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.

"I didn't say never, I said I think it will be my last election," Tharoor clarified, reported PTI.

The Congress leader said if he is going to contest the polls from Thiruvananthapuram, he would fight it as though it were his last election, in full spirits, doing his very best for the people, reported PTI.

Tharoor, who entered politics over a decade ago, achieved a resounding victory in the 2009 general election, securing the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala and marking his debut in Parliament.

In his first electoral battle, Tharoor triumphed over his closest CPI rival P Ramachandran Nair by a substantial margin of over 95,000 votes.

Following this success, he maintained his hold on the seat with decisive victories in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Before beginning his political career, Tharoor worked with the United Nations, and in 2006 represented India as the official candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, finishing in second place out of seven candidates in the race.

Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor on Friday claimed that the upcoming consecration of the Ram Mandir and the inauguration of the BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi showed that the BJP was reverting to its core message. The Congress leader also questioned the BJP about the 'Acche Din' promised to the people of the country.

Tharoor, a day after the Prime Minister accepted an invitation to inaugurate the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi in February 2024, took to social media platform, X, to pose questions targeted at the PM.

"So Prime Minister @NarendraModi will inaugurate the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22nd and the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14th. I expect elections to be called very soon thereafter. The message is clear. In 2009, Mr Modi was sold to the Indian electorate as the avatar of economic development, the CEO of Gujarat Inc., who would bring development to all Indians," Tharoor wrote on X.

(With inputs from PTI)