Amid thaw between Shashi Tharoor and Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas has claimed that the “ceasefire” with the Thiruvananthapuram MP may only hold until the Kerala Assembly elections.

In an interview with a news agency, Brittas said that the easing of ties between Tharoor and the Congress top leadership following his meeting with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge could be driven by the upcoming Kerala polls.

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“So-called ceasefire, the media says that happened because of the meeting (between) Shashi Tharoor and Rahul Gandhi, it has happened because Kerala elections are going to take place,” Brittas said.

He predicted that once the elections are over, the Congress may not require Tharoor’s services, claiming that the latter is intelligent enough to know that.

“The favour they show to Shashi Tharoor now may not last long beyond the Kerala elections. He’s intelligent enough to know that,” Brittas added.

The CPI MP also took a jibe at the Congress, saying the party has six chief minister candidates in Kerala, including Shashi Tharoor.

‘All is good, we are on the same page’: Shashi Tharoor meets Kharge, Rahul Gandhi for 2 hours amid rift talks

“Congress has got six CM candidates, starting with KC Venugopal to Shashi Tharoor, we don’t know what’s going to happen. KC Venugopal is the frontrunner,” Brittas said.

Tharoor, who embarrassed the party with some of his remarks that were seen praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s policies, had met Rahul Gandhi and Kharge last month.

While he never admitted to having praised the PM and his policies, he did acknowledge issues with the party leadership but maintained they would be addressed at an appropriate forum.

He had several run-ins with his Congress colleagues over his remarks, but the Grand Old Party said that his views were his own and reflected the “essential democratic and liberal spirit unique to INC.”