The move is seen as a message to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who refused to resign ahead of filing papers for the party president’s post. Kharge went to Rajasthan as observer of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) to hold a meeting with the legislators who were opposed to Sachin Pilot as Gehlot’s successor.
New Delhi: The contest for the post of Congress president has assumed a new tinge after three spokespersons of the party resigned to campaign for Mallikarjun Kharge who is fighting for the coveted post against Shashi Tharoor, party sources said on Sunday. They are Deepender Hooda, Gourav Vallabh and Syed Naseer Hussain.
Nevertheless, political observers have seen the move as a message to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who refused to resign ahead of filing papers for the party president’s post. Kharge went to Rajasthan as observer of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) to hold a meeting with the legislators who were opposed to Sachin Pilot as Gehlot’s successor. Gehlot opted out of the contest, tendering an apology to the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi. Kharge told the media persons that he began his campaign for the post of party president from Sunday. He further said that he threw his hat in the ring, not because he belongs to a particular caste, but because he has been associated with the party for more than 50 years.
Taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party which criticised the Gandhi family for allegedly remote-controlling the party, Kharge said everybody knew how many people had elected JP Nadda as party president. He further said that 9,300 delegates would elect the new president.
Shashi Tharoor who is fighting against Kharge for the top job in the Congress said he had failed to understand the reasons for G23 leaders backing off and talking about general consensus. All these leaders were demanding elections for various posts in the party, Tharoor said. Tharoor, too, began his campaign on Sunday. Congress president’s election will be held on October 17.
