Yes, there are strong indications that Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is eyeing the chief ministerial face of the United Democratic Front (UDF) for the upcoming 2026 Kerala Assembly elections. While he hasn't made a formal announcement, his recent actions suggest he is testing the waters politically:
🔍 Key Indicators Tharoor Is Eyeing the CM Role:
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He shared a survey (by independent agency Vote Vibe) that projects him as the most preferred UDF face for CM — a clear signal of his interest.
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The survey shows 28.3% of respondents support Tharoor as the UDF's CM candidate — the highest among all UDF leaders.
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His endorsement of the survey, despite his rocky ties with the Congress leadership, signals that he may be positioning himself independently within the party.
📊 Survey Highlights (Vote Vibe)
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Support by gender:
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30% of male respondents backed Tharoor.
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27% of female respondents backed him.
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Support by age:
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34.2% of voters aged 55+ favored Tharoor.
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Only 20.3% of those aged 18–24 did — indicating room for growth among younger voters.
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⚠️ Tharoor’s Tense Relationship with Congress
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His praise of Centre’s and Kerala govt’s policies — including support for the Kerala industrial policy — has angered state Congress leaders.
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He’s seen as ideologically more liberal and pragmatic, which diverges from the party’s Kerala unit, known for rigid stances.
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Despite tensions, his national profile, fluency in international discourse, and Thiruvananthapuram constituency success give him independent political capital.
🔁 Shifting Ground for the LDF
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CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s popularity has dropped — only 17.5% of respondents want him back.
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KK Shailaja, the former Health Minister, is more popular within the LDF, with 24.2% support — more than Vijayan.
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This suggests a possible leadership churn within the Left Democratic Front as well.
🗳️ Kerala Polls 2026: What's at Stake?
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The UDF hopes to prevent a historic third term for the ruling LDF, which is rare in Kerala's alternating political pattern.
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If Tharoor emerges as the CM face, it could galvanize urban and centrist voters, but may deepen internal divisions in the Congress.
✅ Final Take:
Shashi Tharoor is clearly positioning himself as a CM contender, possibly with or without the full blessing of the Congress high command. His next moves — including any campaign activity across the state or coalition-building within the UDF — will be crucial in determining if he officially becomes the face of the alliance for the 2026 polls.
