Thiruvananthapuram- In a move seen as bolstering his bid for the Kerala Chief Minister position, MP Shashi Tharoor met with top leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) this week. The meetings, with IUML supreme leader Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and senior legislator P.K. Kunhalikutty, come ahead of next year's Assembly elections and internal rumblings within the Kerala Congress.

While the Congress high command will ultimately make the decision, the IUML's opinion holds significant weight in the selection process. The party, a crucial ally in the Congress-led UDF coalition, played a key role in Priyanka Gandhi's victory from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in the previous election.

Tharoor's four-day visit to the Muslim stronghold of Malappuram, where he attended various programs organized by the IUML and other Muslim organizations, has fueled speculation about his campaign for the Chief Minister position. Political analysts believe Tharoor is actively seeking support from the IUML, the second largest ally in the UDF.

"Tharoor is a very sharp person and he knows that if at all he has to stake a claim to the prized post, he needs the support of the IUML," said a political critic on condition of anonymity. The critic also noted that Congress state leaders have a history of factional feuds.

Tharoor's recent activities suggest a determined effort to secure the top post. Despite losing the Congress party president election, he was appointed as a CWC member, a move that irked some Kerala Congress leaders. His extended visit to Malappuram underscores his commitment to the race for Chief Minister in the upcoming Assembly elections.