The political churn that the State witnessed over the contentious Sabarimala issue played a key role in Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor’s hat-trick of victories from the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency in the face of several adversities. The outcome could also be attributed to the consolidation of votes by minority communities that was driven by a fear factor prevailing in a faith-driven political atmosphere.
Stand on Sabarimala
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was accused of having resorted to violence that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government failed to prevent in the vexed issue of women’s entry to the Sabarimala shrine, the Congress was perceived by large sections of the majority community as a non-violent alternative in protecting their faith. To further enhance his reputation as a true protector of age-old customs, Dr. Tharoor projected his Hindu identity and harped on how the Hindutva ideology went against its ethos.
Besides, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan’s image as a symbol of hardcore Hindutva, despite his soft personality, also worked in the incumbent lawmaker’s favour as it drove minority sections to vote en bloc for him. Compared to LDF candidate C. Divakaran, he was seen as a better option in championing their cause and highlighting their issues in Parliament.
While his candidature was rather smooth compared to others in the United Democratic Front (UDF), his campaign was not bereft of adversities. His chances were imperilled allegedly by an uncooperative stance adopted by a section of Congress workers that required the intervention of the party’s Central leadership. Moreover, his campaign appeared to have lost momentum during its final phase after a mishap that rendered him indisposed for a few days.
Third successive victory
With his third consecutive victory, Dr. Tharoor appears to have put to rest criticisms of being an “outsider” in the political scenario. Besides rival parties, he was also targeted by his own party men during the initial stages of his political plunge. During a recent interview with The Hindu , the parliamentarian admitted to have faced much resentment within the party for having apparently taken something many had worked hard for. “But, ten years down the road, there’s so much unanimity in the party that no other candidates were proposed from the constituency,” he had said.
The persona of being a multi-faceted “global citizen” who is also an acclaimed writer, orator and intellectual, along with his constant connect with the public on social media, also struck a chord with many, particularly the young voters.
