Just a few weeks ahead of the Congress presidential elections, two strong candidates are expected to go head to head in the race for the top post. The two candidates who will be contesting the Congress presidential polls are Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor.
In the midst of the political drama that had erupted in Rajasthan surrounding the candidature of Ashok Gehlot in the party presidential polls, many party workers are now batting for Gehlot’s rival – Sachin Pilot – to be the next Congress chief.
.
Supporters of Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan have brought the high-voltage drama to Delhi and said that the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister “knows about the problems at the ground level”, and urged him to lead the party for its next phase.
As per ANI reports, a Pilot supporter from Rajasthan said, “Pilot knows about problems at the ground level and what the party workers go through. We demand such a leader should be made the party president.”
In the midst of the internal drama in the Congress party, Ashok Gehlot officially backed out from the Congress presidential race, citing a “moral responsibility”. He had met with interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, apologizing for the rebellion in Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, the Congress presidential race has been narrowed down to two candidates – Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge. Kharge filed his nomination for the post today, and is likely to resign as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha soon.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Friday dropped out of the race for the Congress presidential post and announced his support for Mallikarjun Kharge. With today being the last day to file the nomination, the race is only between Kharge and Tharoor.
Further, rival candidate Shashi Tharoor on Thursday revealed Sonia Gandhi welcomed his decision to contest the elections. He also said he was not representing the rebel G-23 group.
The Congress presidential polls are set to be conducted on October 17, with the results likely to be announced two days later, on October 19.
(With ANI inputs)
READ | It's Kharge vs Shashi Tharoor as Digvijaya Singh drops out of Congress presidential race
