In the much-talked-about Congress presidential elections, to be held on 17 October, it is expected to be a contest between two party veterans: Ashok Gehlot vs Shashi Tharoor. With this, Congress is likely to have a non-Gandhi president for the first time in over 20 years.
It was earlier reported, Ashok Gehlot who is a staunch Gandhi family loyalist will run for the post of party president. With Tharoor’s entry, it is now Gehlot vs Tharoor. Tharoor, a prominent member of the Congress’s G-23 leaders, on Monday met the party chief Sonia Gandhi. Tharoor reportedly got the nod from Sonia to contest the election. “Anyone is free to contest the Congress presidential poll,” Sonia told Tharoor adding, “it’s your call, elections will be held according to the electoral process.”
While Gehlot is widely seen to be a Gandhi family nominee, Tharoor has been raising the issue of “transparency and fairness” in the party functioning and poll process for a long time. He garners the support of several MPs as along with him, five other MPs had written a letter to Congress central election authority chairman, Madhusudhan Mistry demanding that electoral roles should be made available to all. However, Mistry had responded by stating that it will not be made public, but anybody who is willing to contest can access the electoral role from his office from 20 September.
Meanwhile, after Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the Tamil Nadu and Bihar units of the Congress on Monday passed resolutions that Rahul Gandhi should again become the president of the party. The resolution was passed in a TNCC General Council Meeting held earlier on Monday.
Sources also said that even Gehlot is “trying to persuade Rahul Gandhi” to contest rather than his own nomination. The speculation gained traction after Gehlot met Sonia Gandhi at her residence in the national capital a few weeks ago, in which, according to the sources, the Congress interim president had asked him to be prepared for the poll to decided the party chief.
“Gehlot says that rather than thinking of running for Congress President he is trying to persuade Rahul Gandhi to do so. He remains a loyal soldier of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi,” the sources said.
The notification for the Congress president’s election will be out on 22 September. Nominations for the post of Congress president can be filed from 24 September to 30 September. The last day of filing the nomination is 30 September and the last date of withdrawal of nominations is 8 October.
Congress Working Committee had decided that the election for the Congress president post will be held on 17 October, sources said earlier. The counting of votes will be done on 19 October.