Kerala polls: Shashi Tharoor shares survey that picked best CM candidate for faction-ridden UDF alliance. The winner is...

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor shared on his social profile a survey by an independent agency which says that he is the best bet for chief ministerial choice for the 2026 Kerala polls for the “faction-ridden UDF alliance”.

 

According to the survey, there is a strong anti-incumbency in the state, and Tharoor is the top choice as the UDF's chief ministerial candidate, with 28.3 per cent backing the four-time Lok Sabha MP. The survey also says that more men (30 per cent) back Tharoor compared to women (27 percent), and that support is considerably higher among older sections (34.2 per cent among those with 55 and above) than those aged between 18 and 24 (20.3 per cent).

 

Just like with the High Command, Tharoor’s relationship with the state leadership in Kerala also is strained.

 

His opinions, including those that gave room for interpretation that he was praising Prime Minister Modi, had created uneasiness in the Kerala leadership as well.

 

Tharoor’s initial stance on startup "achievements" of the Kerala government—which was also interpreted as praise to the Pinarayi Vijayan government and a backhand slap on the Congress leadership—also created strong reactions from the UDF leadership.

 

Tharoor was notably absent from the Nilambur by-election campaign in June. The bypoll was announced amid tensions between Tharoor and the Congress national leadership, following the NDA government’s decision to include him in an all-party delegation to foreign countries—a move reportedly not well-received by the party high command. Tharoor later stated that he did not campaign in Nilambur because he was not invited. He also acknowledged having “differences of opinion” with some in the party leadership but said he was not willing to discuss them during the by-election.

 

Interestingly, UDF’s Nilambur victory significantly boosted Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan’s stature. Satheesan’s strong stance against bringing PV Anvar into the UDF fold demonstrated his willingness to make tough calls and prioritize discipline within the party. Though the UDF did not reach the aggressive target set by Satheeshan, the victory had validated Satheesan’s strategy, reinforced his image as the UDF’s chief strategist, and bolstered his claim as the leading contender for the chief minister’s post if the alliance returns to power in 2026. Notably, the private survey came out in the aftermath of these changing circumstances—and Tharoor’s decision to share its findings on his social media profile makes it all the more intriguing.

India