Shashi Tharoor, a prominent Congress MP, has stirred controversy by sharing a survey that projects him as the leading contender for Kerala's Chief Minister from the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the upcoming 2026 assembly elections. The survey, conducted by Mumbai-based VoteVibe, indicates that 28.3% of respondents favor Tharoor for the CM position. Tharoor shared the survey results on his X handle, tagging senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

The survey also highlighted a leadership vacuum within the UDF, with 27.1% of voters remaining undecided on the alliance's face. Within the Left Democratic Front (LDF), former health minister K.K. Shailaja topped preferences at 24.2%, while incumbent CM Pinarayi Vijayan trailed at 17.5%. The survey also indicated a strong anti-incumbency wave against Chief Minister Vijayan and the ruling LDF.

However, Tharoor's move has been met with skepticism and criticism from within the Congress party. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph downplayed the survey, stating that the Congress finalizes leadership only after election results and through a proper process. Other Congress leaders in Kerala have so far refrained from commenting on the development. Some within the party have called the survey "cooked up".

Tharoor's relationship with the Congress leadership has been strained since he contested the party president election against Mallikarjun Kharge. The tension reportedly increased when his name did not appear on the list of Congress leaders suggested for the Union government's Operation Sindoor outreach. Despite this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi later invited Tharoor to head a delegation to the United States and other countries. Tharoor has acknowledged differences with the party leadership but said he was open to dialogue if asked.

The survey also revealed interesting demographic trends. It showed that 30% of male respondents supported Tharoor, compared to 27% of female respondents. Support was also higher among older voters, with 34.2% of those aged 55 and above backing him, while support among the 18–24 age group stood at 20.3%.

Tharoor's supporters argue that his popularity poses multiple challenges for the All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership. Political analysts suggest that Tharoor's rising public support could force the Congress to reconsider its stance towards him.

The Kerala Assembly elections are scheduled for April 2026.