Shashi Tharoor supports implementation of Udaipur Declaration, meets Sonia Gandhi

Shashi Tharoor, who is believed to be mulling contesting Congress's organizational polls, on Monday met the party's chief Sonia Gandhi at her house. He, however, didn't divulge what transpired at the meeting.

Ahead of the meeting, Tharoor, one of the signatories of the explosive G-23 letter, endorsed what he said was a petition by a group of young party members seeking reforms and a pledge by AICC president candidates to implement the Udaipur Declaration in entirety if elected.

He said the petition had been signed by 650 people so far.

"We are members of the Congress party with a desire to strengthen the party to reflect the hopes and aspirations of our nation."

"We appeal to each candidate in the election for the President of the All India Congress Committee to undertake a public pledge to involve party members from block committees up to the CWC and implement the Udaipur Declaration in entirety within the first 100 days of assuming office," the petition added.

The Udaipur declaration was made in May 2022 after the senior members of the party brainstormed in the Rajasthan city ways to revive the beleaguered outfit. The party had announced organizational reforms to make the party ready to face the BJP juggernaut. It was decided that the leadership will push younger leaders forwards and enforce 'one person, one post' and 'one family, one ticket' rules.

The process for filing nominations for the election will be held from September 24 to 30. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8 and the election, if required, will be held on October 17. The results will be out on October 19.

The Congress, which has lost over 40 state elections since 2014, has seen the exit of senior politicians including Kapil Sibal and Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Azad in his resignation letter squarely blamed Rahul Gandhi for the party's condition. 

With inputs from PTI