Tag: Kharge Sahab

Kharge and rahul meet north eastern leaders

Kharge, Rahul To Meet Leaders Of North Eastern States Tomorrow

By LokMarg

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi will meet the leaders of North Eastern States Congress units except Assam on Saturday to discuss the election strategy for the upcoming general elections scheduled next year.

The meeting will be held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office at 10 am.
On Wednesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with leaders of the Uttarakhand Unit at the party headquarters in Delhi to review party preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls in 2024.

During the meeting, former Chief Minister of Uttrakhand Harish Rawat and PCC Chief Karan Mahara also remained present.

A similar meeting was held with leaders of Maharashtra Congress and discussed strategies to strengthen the party’s roots in the state.

During the meeting, they held discussions with the leaders of the Maharashtra Congress and took stock of the prevailing political situation, chalking out a three-point strategy to strengthen its base in Maharashtra ahead of the 2024 Loksabha elections and assembly polls in the state.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Congress general secretary, KC Venugopal, said that three major decisions were taken in the meeting. “All the senior leaders of the party will take responsibility for their Parliamentary constituencies. Secondly, from the month of September a ‘padayatra’ (foot march) will be carried out in every district of the state under a senior leader, which will be followed by a “bus yatra” in the month of December when all the leaders will jointly visit all the constituencies together,” Venugopal said.

“The meeting was quite fruitful and lasted for four hours and all the leaders have a unanimous belief that the Congress will sweep the parliamentary elections in Maharashtra. During the meeting Rahul Gandhi specially referred to the Maharashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra where he got a phenomenal response, which was among the best in the country,” he said further. (ANI)

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New Congress Chief

Kharge Is New Congress Chief; Revival Begins, Says, Tharoor

By LokMarg

Veteran politician Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday swept the party’s presidential polls paving the way for him to become the first non-Gandhi chief of Congress party in over two decades.

Chairman of the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) Madhusudan Mistry today declared Mallikarjun Kharge as the elected President of the party.
“The total counted votes were 9,385, of which Mallikarjun Kharge received 7,897 votes and Shashi Tharoor received 1,072 votes. 416 were invalid votes. As per Article 18 (D) of the Constitution of Indian National, I hereby declare Mallikarjun Kharge as the elected President of Congress,” said Mistry.

Kharge’s opponent conceded defeat and went to the New Delhi residence of the Congress President-elect to congratulate him on his victory.

Tharoor said he believed “the revival of the party begins today”. “It is a great honor and a huge responsibility to be President of the INC and I wish Kharge Ji all success in the task,” the MP from Thiruvananthapuram tweeted.

Before the results were announced, party leader Rahul Gandhi during a press conference apparently jumped the gun and referred to Kharge as the party president.

“I can’t comment on Congress President’s role, that’s for Mr. Kharge (party’s Presidential candidate) to comment on. The President will decide what my role is…and where I will be deployed ask Kharge ji, Sonia ji,” said the Congress MP in Kurnool amid the Andhra Pradesh leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Meanwhile, other leaders of the party congratulated Kharge on his victory.

Party leader Jairam Ramesh said that Kharge’s victory is a triumph for the forces who place ideological commitment over personal glory.

“Mallikarjun Kharge has completed 50 years in electoral politics. He has distinguished himself as a legislator and Minister in the state and at the Centre. He is a shining symbol of social empowerment inspired by Nehru, Ambedkar, Indira Gandhi, and Devaraj Urs,” Ramesh said in a tweet.

He further said that Kharge has always avoided flamboyance and has been the quintessential organization man working in a self-effacing manner to advance the collective interests of the Congress party.

He has the good wishes of all Congressmen and Congresswomen, he added.

Rajasthan Cong leader Sachin Pilot greeted Kharge and said that he has faith that the latter’s experience will benefit the party

“Mallikarjun Kharge won with a huge majority; a win of democracy. I congratulated him. I’ve faith his experience will benefit the party…9000 elected people elected the President, this was never done before by any party. Opposition must be nervous today,” said Pilot.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said that Kharge has won with eight times more votes than Tharoor.

“Mallikarjun Kharge wins the Congress presidential elections with 7897 votes, Shashi Tharoor got about 1000 votes. Kharge has won with 8 times more votes,” said Tiwari.

For the first time in 24 years, the party has got a chief who does not belong to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The new president will take place of Sonia Gandhi who has been serving as interim president after Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the post following the party’s debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress sources also said the elected president will take charge after Diwali in the presence of senior leaders in a program at the Congress headquarters.

Meanwhile, ahead of the declaration of results for the party’s top post, the Shashi Tharoor camp approached the party’s election authority alleging that it suspected “extremely serious irregularities” in Uttar Pradesh on the day of the polling and demanded that all votes from the state be deemed invalid.

In a letter to Congress Central Authority Chairman Madhusudan Mistry, Salman Soz the election agent to Tharoor wrote about “disturbing facts” including “reports of minor violations” guidelines in a few states including Uttar Pradesh during the polling on Monday.

The ex-Member of Parliament (MP) Salman Anees Soz in his letter underlined that they had no evidence that Mallikarjun Kharge was aware of how his supporters were engaging in electoral malpractice in Uttar Pradesh.

Incidentally, Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates. (ANI)

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Bharat Jodo Yatra: MP Francisco

Want Rahul To stop Bharat Jodo Yatra: MP Francisco

By LokMarg

Congress MP Francisco Sardinha on Monday claimed that the Congress is the “only party” that can defeat the BJP and hence Rahul Gandhi should now stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra and go to Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat to campaign for the Assembly polls.

“I want Rahul Gandhi to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra and go to Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat to awaken the public so that they vote for the only party that can defeat BJP. The only party that can be an opposition to BJP is Congress,” said Congress MP Francisco Sardinha after casting his vote for the next president of Congress.
The Election Commission on Friday declared that Assembly polls will be held in Himachal Pradesh on November 12 and the counting of votes will take place on December 8.

The 182-seat Gujarat Assembly will go to polls later this year.

Sardinha, who is also a former Chief Minister of Goa, made this claim after casting his vote and also alleged that there is no point in contesting when one knows that their defeat is confirmed.

“Shashi Tharoor is my colleague. If I had to meet I would have requested him for it because I knew everybody would be for Mallikarjun, so what is the point when you know that you are 100 percent going to lose, you just want to show that you contested,” Sardinha said adding that he was sure of veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s victory for the party’s president post.

“Nothing new, there have been elections earlier, unopposed, Madam Sonia ji was the president, Rahul ji was the president and now there are elections and I am sure Mallikarjjun ji will be the new president of the Congress,” he said further.

The 3,500-km yatra from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir is observing a “rest day” on the day of voting for the next president.

In the race for the next president of Congress, party leaders Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are in direct contest with each other.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who is pitted against party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge for the post of the Congress president on Monday, said the revival of the party has begun whatever the outcome and that the fate of the Congress lies in the hands of the party workers.

Tharoor said he was confident of winning the election but acknowledged the odds against him.

Meanwhile, Kharge also told ANI: “It is part of our internal election. Whatever we said to each other is on a friendly note. Together we have to build the party. (Shashi) Tharoor telephoned me and wished me luck and I also said the same.”

It is not the first time that a non-Gandhi leader is contesting for the party presidency post-Independence, as Jitendra Prasad contested for the post of the president about 22 years ago against Sonia Gandhi in which she emerged as a winner holding the mantle of the party for 20 years.

Sonia Gandhi is the party’s longest-serving president, having held the office for over 20 years from 1998 to 2017 and since 2019.

This time no member of the Gandhi family is contesting for the post of President.

This is the sixth time in its nearly 137-year history that polls are being conducted to elect the national president of the party. In the 2017 elections, Rahul Gandhi became the party president unopposed. (ANI)

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Not Prepared For The Role of Kerala CM, says Shashi Tharoor

Revival Of Cong Has Begun: Tharoor; Kharge: Together We Will Build Party

By LokMarg

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who is pitted against party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge for the post of the Congress president on Monday, said the revival of the grand old party has begun whatever the outcome and that the fate of the Indian National Congress lies in the hands of the party workers.

Voting for the Congress presidential polls commenced at 10 am today and will culminate at 4 pm. Results will be declared on October 19. The fate of the Congress party will be decided by over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates who comprise the electoral college for electing the party chief.
Tharoor said that he was confident of winning the election but acknowledged the odds stacked against him

“I am confident. The fate of the Congress party is in the hands of party workers. The odds have been stacked against us as the party leaders and establishment were overwhelming with the other candidate,” Tharoor told media persons at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram today.

Tharoor also said he had spoken to Kharge earlier in the day

“Today I spoke to Mr. Kharge and said whatever has happened, we remain colleagues and friends,” Tharoor said.

Kharge also told ANI today: “It is part of our internal election. Whatever we said to each other is on a friendly note. Together we have to build the party. (Shashi) Tharoor telephoned me and wished me luck and I also said the same.”

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that Congress was the only political party to hold elections for its president.

“This is a historic day. Rahul Gandhi will cast his vote in Ballari during Bharat Jodo Yatra. Party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi is expected to cast her vote around 11 am,” he told ANI.

Tharoor took to Twitter and said that they shared “devotion to the success of the Congress”.

Previously, Tharoor had said that if one just “plays safe”, they lose.

He tweeted, “Some people play safe in order not to lose. But if you just play safe, you will definitely lose.”

On Thursday, Tharoor alleged that he has been facing differential treatment from the party leaders as against his opponent Mallikarjun Kharge.

In the previous week, Tharoor had said he could act as a catalyst of change for the grand old party in order to revive the party’s presence in the country.

Meanwhile, Congress veteran leader and party’s presidential candidate Mallikarjun Kharge had said that his name was not suggested by the party supremo Sonia Gandhi and dismissed the speculations of receiving support from the party’s interim president.

Kharge said that Sonia Gandhi had never suggested his name for the party president position and called it a rumor.

Kharge further said that members of the party have elected delegates which are 9,300 in number, who will vote for the candidate and the one with the majority would be elected.

With the party, all set to elect its new president, the 75 delegates, including interim chief Sonia Gandhi, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and other members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and senior leaders will cast their vote in the headquarters of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in New Delhi.

Apart from these, 280 other delegates will also cast their vote in the Delhi Congress office, the sources added.

The delegates who obtained prior permission from the Central Election Authority to cast their vote will vote in Delhi instead of their own state today.

It is not the first time that a non-Gandhi leader is contesting for the party presidency post-Independence, Jitendra Prasad contested for the post of the president about 22 years ago against Sonia Gandhi in which she emerged as a winner holding the mantle of the party for 20 years.

Sonia Gandhi is the longest-serving president of the party, having held the office for over twenty years from 1998 to 2017 and since 2019.

This time no member of the Gandhi family is contesting for the post of President.

This is the sixth time in its nearly 137-year-old history that polls are being conducted to elect the national president of the party. In the 2017 elections, Rahul Gandhi became the president unopposed. (ANI)

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New Congress Chief

Cong Prez Polls: Kharge vs Tharoor, Contest On Monday

By LokMarg

After 22 years the Congress is all set to witness a contest for the president post on Monday with senior party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor pitted against each other to lead the party with new vigour so as to fulfil the aim of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The voting will be done between 10 am and 4 pm, with the results will be declared on October 19.
“The delegates from all states will vote at their respective polling stations with a ‘tick’ mark for the candidate they support. Arrangements have been made for smooth polling,” said Central Election Authority Chairman of Congress Madhusudan Mistry.

“Ballot boxes will reach Delhi on Oct 18 & counting of votes will be done on October 19. A polling booth set up at AICC as well, where over 50 people will vote. The whole polling process will be fair & free, no doubt about that,’ he added.

It is not the first time that a non-Gandhi leader is contesting for the party presidency post-Independence, Jitendra Prasad contested for the post of the president about 22 years ago against Sonia Gandhi which Sonia emerged as a winner holding the mantle of the party for 20 years.

Sonia Gandhi is the longest-serving president of the party, having held the office for over twenty years from 1998 to 2017 and since 2019.

This time no member of the Gandhi family is contesting for the post of President.

This is the sixth time in its nearly 137-year-old history that polls will be held to elect the President of the party. In the 2017 elections, Rahul Gandhi became the president unopposed.

“There’s no problem with our ideology but I want to bring a change in our way of work… Mallikarjun Kharge is an experienced leader, if he wins, we’ll work in cooperation naturally,” Congress Presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor said ahead of the polls tomorrow.

Kharge, “It’s my duty to strengthen the org & fight vindictive policies of BJP-RSS, they’re dividing the country on basis of religion; they’re dividing the backwards, scheduled castes, minorities. They see everything through an election point of view.”

“We’ve to fight from parliament to street. It’s difficult as unemployment& inflation are there, GDP growth is falling, the value of rupee is going down, petrol-diesel & essential commodities’ prices are going up,’ he added.

More than nine thousand delegates will vote in this election. The state from which the delegate belongs will have to go to the Congress headquarters of that state and vote.

Apart from the Congress headquarters in the states, the voting facilities will also be available at the party’s central headquarters at 24 Akbar Road.

In Delhi, those delegates can cast their vote who have obtained prior permission from the Central Election Authority to cast their vote in Delhi instead of their own state.

Congress Working Committee members including Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Priyanka Gandhi and some senior leaders will vote in the booth at the Congress headquarters.

About 40 delegates involved in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, including Rahul Gandhi, will be able to cast their vote in the camp itself.

A polling station is being set up at the Sanganakallu campsite in Bellary.

While the two contestants Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge will cast their votes in their respective state’s headquarters Trivendram and Bengaluru

After voting, the ballot boxes from all the states will be brought back to Delhi where the results will be announced after the counting of votes on October 19. (ANI)

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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge

We Are Brothers No Differences Between Us: Kharge

By LokMarg

Reacting to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s “uneven playing field” remark, senior leader and party presidential candidate Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that there are no differences between them.

“…We are brothers. Someone can speak in a different manner. I can do it in a different way. There are no differences between us… Shashi Tharoor and I are from the same family that is Congress, instead of complaining to each other we would rather complain to Narendra Modi and Amit Shah regarding inflation, unemployment, and other issues” said Kharge on Tharoor’s uneven playing field remark.
He further alleged that dragging the Gandhi family’s name in this poll is BJP’s conspiracy to defame them and some people are encouraging it.

“I am a candidate of delegates. Leaders-delegates together fielded me as a candidate…dragging the Gandhi family’s name, I feel, is BJP’s conspiracy to defame them and some people are encouraging it. I condemn this. They said anybody can contest,” he added.

Notably, Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress President.

The election for the Congress’s top leadership is slated to conclude on October 17.

The Congress leader further said that he believes in democracy and it is not good to talk about winning the elections ahead of it.

“I am contesting for the presidential post, delegates are supposed to vote and whoever they will choose will be the next president of Congress party. I believe in democracy and it is not good to talk about winning the elections ahead of it. However, delegations from all the states have put their trust in me,” he said.

He said that everybody has different manifestos ahead of elections if elected his focus will be on protecting the Congress’s ideology and Udaipur declaration

“Another focus will be on increasing women representation, backward class, and minorities in the party,” he added.

Bharat Jodo Yatra is being done to keep the former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s ideology and constitution alive which is being hampered by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Earlier, Tharoor said he has been facing differential treatment from the party leaders as against his opponent Mallikarjun Kharge.

On his “uneven playing field” remark, Congress presidential candidate Tharoor said, “…In several PCCs, leaders welcomed and met Kharge Sahab. The same was not done for me. I visited PCCs but PCC chiefs were not available. I am not complaining, but do you not see a difference in treatment?”

He said his party men should vote for him only if they are seeking a change in Congress.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years. (ANI)

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Mallikarjun Kharge To Campaign in Gujarat

BJP Scared Of Rahul’s Popularity Due To Bharat Jodo Yatra: Kharge

By LokMarg

Congress Presidential candidate and MP Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “scared” of Rahul Gandhi’s “rising popularity” due to Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“Many people are associating themselves with Rahul Gandhi. BJP is scared after seeing Bharat Jodo Yatra. As Rahul Gandhi’s popularity is increasing, these people’s (popularity) is reducing,” Kharge said.
Earlier today, Kharge had said that he is fighting the Congress Presidential polls because the condition in the country is very “bad” and he wants to “fight” them.

“I want to fight because the condition in the country is bad. Modi and Shah are doing politics where there is no place for Democracy. Agencies like CBI and ED are weakening. To fight them I need to have power. That is why, on the recommendation of delegations, I am fighting the polls,” Kharge said.

Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress President.

Digvijaya Singh pulled out from the race earlier and extended his support to Kharge, who he said is a senior and respected leader of the party, and against whom he “cannot think of contesting”.

Singh was the second Congress leader to pull out of the race after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would not contest the elections following the political turmoil in his state.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8. Voting will take place on October 17 and the election results will be declared on October 19.

The MP from Wayanad is currently leading Bharat Jodo Yatra- the 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, covering as many as 12 states. The Yatra started from Kanyakumari and will end in Kashmir the next year by covering 25 km every day.

According to Congress, the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.

Notably, all the party MPs, leaders, and workers along with Rahul Gandhi are staying in containers. Sleeping beds, toilets, and ACs are also installed in some of the containers.

The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places.

The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles. (ANI)

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303: Shashi

Tharoor: I Am A Catalyst Of Change In Cong

By LokMarg

Emphasizing the need to win the trust of the voters again, Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said to revive the party’s presence in the country, he could act as a catalyst of change for the grand old party.

He further offered a piece of advice to BJP saying the ruling party should start preparing to be a part of the opposition ahead of the 2024 General Elections.
Speaking to media persons in Mumbai, the Congress MP said, “Our party needs change and I feel I am the one who will be the catalyst of change.”

“Congress has run the country nicely, we have experienced people (in party)… we need to show our strength to re-win voters. Party needs to be attractive for it, needs to be confident so voters may give us their trust,” said Tharoor.

Suggesting BJP to start preparation for being a part of the Opposition, Congress presidential candidate said, “BJP should start preparing of being a part of the opposition as they will have to sit there after the 2024 elections.”

He further said he wants to make Congress strong for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“My aim is to make the Congress party strong for 2024 as our citizens are unhappy with the Modi government. People want the Opposition to be strong, as inflation is high as well as unemployment and hate speech too. In 2014 and 2019 we got only 19 percent of the votes, I want people to come to us who didn’t vote for us. I want people to look into us,” he said.

He further said that he and Mallikarjun Kharge are friends and the only difference between the two of them is the way of their work.

Clarifying the rumors that Kharge is an official candidate for party chief and he is not, to this Tharoor said, “Some people are saying Kharge is an official candidate and I am no one. But I want to say that the Gandhi family is unbiased and no one is an official candidate as we are standing for strengthening of the Congress party. If someone is saying that delegates are asked to vote are a certain person but it’s not true.”

Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress president.

The voting for the Congress presidential elections is scheduled to be held on October 17 and the padayatra will take a break for a day for voting.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8. Voting will take place on October 17 and the election results will be declared on October 19.

With Gandhi’s not running for the top post this time around, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years. (ANI)

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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge

All Cong Leaders United To Fight Against BJP, RSS: Kharge

By LokMarg

Congress leader and MP Mallikarjun Kharge, one of the candidates in the party’s presidential election, on Sunday made it clear that the G23 camp no longer exists and all leaders are united to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Asserting that he has not entered the polls to oppose anyone, Kharge announced his “official start” to the election campaign on Sunday.
“There is no G23 camp now. All leaders (of G23) want to work together to stay united and fight against BJP-RSS. This is the reason they are supporting me,” said Kharge.

He further said that he is contesting for the Congress president post because senior leaders of the party encouraged him to contest.

“Many senior leaders of the party have supported my nomination for Congress president post. Many leaders of the party told me that I should contest the elections. Due to their encouragement, I am contesting the elections today,” said Congress MP.

Kharge, who entered the fray in the eleventh hour, was seen flanked by Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, Prithviraj Chavan, and Bhupinder Hooda when he submitted the form for the presidential race.

G-23 leaders had written to Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 seeking structural changes in the party and even questioned the process of electing 9000-odd delegates who make up the electoral college of the Congress president.

Notably, the 80-year-old leader had received support from nearly 30 Congress leaders, including Deepender Hooda, Salman Khurshid, Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh, Manish Tewari, Prithviraj Chavan, and several others.

“The day I filed my nomination, I submitted my resignation from my post, aligning with the ‘One Person, One Post’ decision of the party taken in Udaipur. “I officially begin my campaign for the post of Congress party president today,” Kharge said while addressing a press conference with other three Congress leaders, Gourav Vallabh, Deepender S. Hooda, and Syed Naseer Hussain, here.

Kharge tendered his resignation as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Rajya Sabha on Saturday as he filed nomination papers to contest the post of president of his party a day before.

Apart from Kharge, G23 leader Shashi Tharoor has also filed his nomination for the post.

Gourav Vallabh also announced his resignation from the post of the official spokesperson of the party to campaign for Kharge in Congress’ internal elections.

“All three of us (Congress leaders Gourav Vallabh, Deepender S Hooda, and Syed Naseer Hussain) resigned from the post of official spokespersons to campaign for the election of Mallikarjun Kharge as party president and want this election to be free and fair,” Vallabh said.

Congress Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said that a total of 20 nomination forms were received on Friday and added that the Gandhi family is not supporting any candidate for the party president’s post.

Mistry added that 14 nominations were received from Mallikarjun Kharge, five from Shashi Tharoor, and one from Jharkhand Congress leader KN Tripathi.

However, Tripathi’s nomination for the Congress presidential election was rejected on Saturday due to signature issues.

He further said that the two current contenders for the post of Congress President include Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor.

Mistry said that the candidates were in the fray of their own volition and Gandhis are neutral in this contest and are not supporting anyone.

Tharoor on Saturday drew an analogy between the Gandhi family and the DNA of the party and said that no party chief can distance himself from the Gandhi family, asserting that he is contesting the party’s presidential elections to bring a ” change” in the grand old party.

He stressed that the contest between him and Kharge is “not a battle” and it should be left upon the Congress workers to choose between the duo.

Tharoor and Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress president.

Digvijaya Singh pulled out from the race on Friday (the last day to file nominations) and extended his support to Kharge, who he said is a senior and respected leader of the party, and against whom he “cannot think of contesting”.

Singh was the second Congress leader to pull out of the race after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would not contest the elections following the political turmoil in his state.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

The results of the party polls will be declared on October 19. (ANI)

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303: Shashi

If Satisfied With Party’s Working, Vote For Kharge: Tharoor

By LokMarg

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday drew an analogy between the Gandhi family and the DNA of the party and said that no party chief can distance himself from the Gandhi family, asserting that he is contesting the party’s presidential elections to bring a ” change” in the grand old party.

He called the family an asset to the party and said that no matter who becomes the Congress president after the party’s internal polls on October 17, he cannot be “such a fool” to tell “goodbye” to the Gandhi family.
Speaking to ANI before embarking on his visit to various parts of the country to campaign for the party polls, Tharoor said, “The Gandhi family and Congress’ DNA is the same.” No (party) president is such a fool to tell “Goodbye” to the Gandhi family. They are a huge asset to us. “

Reiterating that he represents a “change” in the party twice within 24 hours of filing his nomination at the AICC office in the national capital on Friday, the Congress leader said that if the party leaders and workers are “satisfied” with the “working of the party”, they should vote for Mallikarjun Kharge, who is his opponent in the race to the top post in the party.

Tharoor stressed that the contest between him and Kharge is “not a battle” and it should be left upon the Congress workers to choose between the duo.

“This isn’t a battle… Let party workers choose, that’s our message. I’m saying that if you’re satisfied with the party’s work, vote for Kharge Sahab. If you want a change, I’m there. But there’s no ideological problem. “There will not be any change in the message of the Congress party,” he said.

Noting that all the decisions are being taken by the Central leadership in the party, Tharoor emphasized on giving rights to the lower levels of the organization to take decisions.

“All the decisions are being taken in New Delhi these days.” “It would be good for the party if the rights to take decisions are given to the grassroots at the levels of the blocks, Zilla, and state,” he said.

Notably, in the manifesto released by Tharoor soon after filing his nomination, he mentioned the need for “decentralization” in the party.

Talking about his decision to run for the party’s top post, he said that he intended to contest when the election was announced, which was backed by the party workers.

“The internal democracy that we are showing is not present in any other party. When the election was announced, I had the intention (to contest). I wrote an article, stating that the election is good for party&mentioned its reasons,” he said.

“After that several people, ordinary workers told me to contest the poll. I started thinking and talking to people…I just want the party to strengthen and that I become a voice of the changes within the party and show its different face to people,” Tharoor added.

Tharoor and Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress president.

Digvijaya Singh pulled out from the race yesterday and extended his support to Kharge, who he said is a senior and respected leader of the party, and against whom he “cannot think of contesting”.

Singh is the second Congress leader to pull out of the race after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would not contest the elections following the political turmoil in his state.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

The results of the party polls will be declared on October 19. (ANI)

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