Will Shashi Tharoor be next Kerala CM? This is what survey says, Congress MP reacts

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is again making headlines and this time for a unique reason. A new political survey has revealed that the Congress MP from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram has been chosen as the top candidate for Chief Minister in Kerala, making him the top choice in the race as the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) most preferred candidate for the assembly elections that will be held next year in 2026. Tharoor, who received 28.3% support, has emerged ahead of several other contenders in a state witnessing rising anti-incumbency against the ruling Left. 

What does the survey says? 

A recent pre-election survey conducted by Mumbai-based polling firm and independent agency, Vote Vibe, has put senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor at the forefront of Kerala’s chief ministerial race. 

The survey also showed that Tharoor enjoys the highest preference among potential chief ministerial candidates, with 28.3% of voters backing him. While this positions him as the leading face within the opposition camp, the poll also reflects a leadership crisis within the UDF — 27.1% of respondents were undecided about who should lead the alliance, underlining the absence of a clear, unified figure. The survey has sparked buzz in the country, especially in the Southern state.  

The finding is likely a hint towards growing voter support for Tharoor especially in the current scenario where a huge wave of anti-incumbency is seen in the state which might go in favour of the UDF. In this case, the political group will return to power.  

Shashi Tharoor shared a post by ED Mathew, a UN spokesperson, by replying on it with a simple namaste. The post says, “@shashtharoor emerges as the best bet for chief ministerial choice for the 2026 Kerala polls for a faction-ridden UDF alliance, a recent survey reveals.” 

 July 9, 2025

Ex-minister dismisses survey findings 

Dismissing the survey, former state minister from the Congress, Ramesh Chennithala, said that they hold no credibility. On being asked on Tharoor’s endorsement of the results of the private survey, he said, “Such surveys have no credibility. They are all cooked up. You will see many such surveys come up ahead of elections.” 

“It is all fabricated,” added Chennithala. The Congress leader was also the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly