Shashi Tharoor Will Not Attend Satheesan’s Swearing-In As Kerala CM. Here’s Why

Last Updated:May 16, 2026, 11:12 IST

Shashi Tharoor will miss VD Satheesan’s Kerala swearing-in as he delivers a commencement address in Boston, amid rising influence after UDF’s big 2026 election win

As Kerala continues to prepare for VD Satheesan’s swearing-in as the chief minister of the state on Monday, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that he will be missing this high-profile event in Thiruvananthapuram.

In an elegant social media post on X, Tharoor on Friday said that he will be in Boston to deliver the commencement address at the graduation ceremony of his alma mater, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

He also added that he will be participating in the 50th anniversary reunion of his graduating class.

“I’m sorry to be missing the swearing-in ceremony of my Kerala Congress colleague and new CM of Kerala VD Satheesan. I am in Boston this weekend to deliver the Commencement address at the graduation ceremony of my alma mater, the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University — and also to participate in the 50th anniversary reunion of my graduating class!" Tharoor said.

“An occasion for celebrating the past in the US, even as I look forward to the future in Kerala," he added.

However, recent political developments suggest that Tharoor’s absence from the event is unlikely to dent his rising influence within the Congress or Kerala’s political landscape.

Also Read: VD Satheesan Named Kerala’s New Chief Minister As Congress Ends 11 Days Of Suspense

Over the past few months, the Thiruvananthapuram MP has appeared to strengthen his ties with the Congress leadership after a phase of strained relations with sections of the party’s state leadership.

Tharoor also played a prominent role in the recently concluded Kerala Assembly election campaign, emerging as one of the Congress-led UDF’s key star campaigners.

Several candidates across the state were reportedly keen to have him campaign for them, banking on his ability to attract large crowds, especially among younger and urban voters.

The Congress on Thursday officially announced VD Satheesan as the chief minister-designate of Kerala after days of intense deliberations within the party following the UDF’s emphatic victory in the Assembly elections.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured a sweeping mandate in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, winning 102 of the 140 seats in the state and returning to power after a decade in the opposition. The Congress itself emerged as the single-largest party in the alliance with 63 seats.

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