Shashi Tharoor’s journey in the Lok Sabha elections has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, marked by victories, challenges, and a steadfast commitment to representing the people of Thiruvananthapuram. Let’s take a closer look at his political odyssey through the lens of the past Lok Sabha elections.
2014 Lok Sabha Elections: In 2014, amidst a charged electoral atmosphere, Tharoor emerged triumphant once again, securing 297,806 votes. However, the battle was fierce, with the BJP’s O Rajagopal breathing down his neck with 282,336 votes, and CPI’s Bennet Abraham trailing behind with 248,941 votes. The margin of victory may have been slender, but it reaffirmed Tharoor’s standing as a formidable force in Thiruvananthapuram’s political landscape.
2019 Lok Sabha Elections: Fast forward to 2019, and Tharoor continued his winning streak, clinching his third consecutive victory with an impressive mandate of 416,131 votes. Despite the BJP candidate, Kummanam, putting up a strong fight and securing 316,142 votes, Tharoor’s popularity among the electorate remained undiminished.
Tharoor’s Political Voyage with INC: Tharoor’s tryst with politics commenced in 2009 when he joined the Indian National Congress, embarking on a journey that would see him represent Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha thrice. His tenure saw him not only as a parliamentarian but also as a Minister of State for External Affairs during the Congress-led UPA government. However, his relationship with the party wasn’t without its ups and downs. Despite being a non-loyalist of the Gandhis, Tharoor’s influence within the party remained significant, culminating in his current position as a member of the Congress Working Committee, the apex decision-making body of the Indian National Congress.
The Winds of Change: As the political winds continue to shift, the current exit polls hint at a potential change in the air for Thiruvananthapuram. Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP appears to be gaining momentum, posing a formidable challenge to the incumbent Shashi Tharoor. However, in the unpredictable realm of politics, only time will tell if Tharoor can weather this storm and emerge victorious once again, or if a new chapter is set to unfold in the electoral saga of Thiruvananthapuram.
Tharoor on The 2024 Exit Polls predictions:
After the exit polls predicted a third straight win for the Bharatiya Janata Party including a huge gain in the south, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed the predictions “deeply unscientific” and said they are instead interested in the votes of people.
He also said that BJP won’t be making gains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and will lose “significantly” in Karnataka.
Speaking to the reporters, Mr Tharoor said, “We have been travelling throughout the country campaigning and have a sense of what is the reality on the ground. Exit polls are deeply unscientific. Last year, the majority of exit polls got the results wrong in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. What we are interested in is the real poll- the votes of the public is going to decide our political future.”