Amid growing support, Kharge files nomination to contest Congress prez polls
Congress presidential polls: The next chief of the Congress would have several challenges before him, including the 2024 national polls.
Veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s candidacy for the Congress presidential polls has received the backing of many of his party colleagues after his meeting with Sonia Gandhi late on Thursday night generated buzz that he would be a frontrunner in the race. The Rajya Sabha MP’s candidature has been revealed at a time when Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot dropped out of the contest. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh also said on Friday that he would not contest the crucial polls, a day after confirming his candidacy. Shashi Tharoor would be fighting Kharge in the presidential polls, scheduled for October 17.
Surrounded by senior party colleagues, Mallikarjun Kharge filed his nomination nearly an hour after Shashi Tharoor submitted his nomination.
“I told him that I stand by him and can't even think of contesting against him; I will be his proposer,” Digvijaya Singh had said on Friday morning after meeting with Kharge at his residence. “I have worked for the Congress all my life till now, and I will continue doing so. I don't compromise on three things - standing for the Dalit, tribals and poor, fighting against those who disturb communal harmony, and my commitment to Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family,” he was further quoted as telling reporters by news agency ANI.
Ashok Gehlot - who was prompted to apologise to the top party leadership for the revolt of his loyalists over speculation that Sachin Pilot may succeed him - has said he would be a proposer for Kharge.
Shortly before Kharge was expected to file his nomination, Gehlot in a tweet shared a picture and wrote in Hindi: "Ambika Soni ji, Pawan Bansal ji, Anand Sharma ji, Bhupendra Singh Hooda ji, Mukul Wasnik ji, Prithviraj Chavan ji, Avinash Pandey ji, Manish Tewari ji, Rajiv Shukla ji, Raghuveer Meena ji before Mallikarjun Kharge ji files nomination for Congress President At AICC Headquarters with senior leaders."
Interestingly, Manish Tewari and Anand Sharma were part of the G-23 rebel group that demanded sweeping changes in the party functioning as the party continued to face poll setbacks.
"After 51 years a Dalit leader again can be Congress President … 9000 PCC members will decide it on 17 th October. Ballot and Polls in only one party it’s Indian National Congress," tweeted Congress MP Manickam Tagore in support of Kharge.
(With inputs from ANI)
