On October 2, 2022, Rajasthan’s Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, stated that veteran party leader Mallikarjun Kharge has the expertise to improve the Congress and will win the party’s presidential election handily, while opponent Shashi Tharoor is an “elite class” member.
“Kharge has a long political experience. He has a clean heart, he comsdses from the Dalit community and (Kharge contesting the election) is being welcomed everywhere,” he told reporters after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the secretariat in Jaipur.
Gehlot, one of the proposers for Kharge, claimed that although Tharoor is a good man and has good ideas, he belongs to the elite class.
“Tharoor is a class apart; he is from the elite class but the kind of experience that is needed to strengthen the party at booth, block, and district levels, that is with Kharge and cannot be compared to Shashi Tharoor. Therefore, it will naturally be a one-sided contest for Kharge,” he said.
For the position of Congress president, Mr. Kharge and Mr. Tharoor are squarely in opposition.
Mr. Kharge, a Karnataka-born Dalit leader, is now the overwhelming favourite to become Congress’ president.
According to sources, Mr. Kharge has resigned as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.