Tharoor or Kharge, all eyes on October 19 as voting for Congress President ends

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and state Congress head Mohan Markam were among the party leaders who cast their votes on Monday for electing the next president of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Around 250 Congress delegates out of the total 407 in Gujarat have so far voted for the polls underway on Monday to elect the next All India Congress Committee (AICC) president, a party spokesperson said.

"Congress party has set an example for the country by conducting open, democratic and transparent elections. I believe whoever wins this election will get full support from all members of the party," says Rajasthan Congress MLA Sachin Pilot

"I want Rahul Gandhi to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra and go to Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat to awaken the public so that they vote for the only party that can defeat BJP. The only party that can be an opposition to BJP is Congress," says Former Goa CM and Congress MP Francisco Sardinha.

"Party leadership will remain. The new party president will decide how to take forward and implement the leadership's vision," says Congress leader Salman Khurshid at the AICC office in Delhi.

Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi cast their votes for new party chief, at the AICC headquarters 

Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi at the AICC headquarters

"It is a historic day for the Congress party. 490 people voting here today; polling going on in a transparent way. The country will benefit from this," says Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar

"Today is a historic day, the election for Congress president is taking place today after 22 years. This election gives the message of internal harmony in the party. My relation with Gandhi family will be same even after 19 Oct (day of the counting of votes)," says Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot

Rahul Gandhi will cast his vote in Ballari during Bharat Jodo Yatra. 

Party's interim president Sonia Gandhi is expected to cast her vote around 11 am

"It is a historic occasion, Congress is the only political party that holds elections for the post of president," said Jairam Ramesh after casting his vote.

"The polls are free, fair and transparent," he added.

Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor today in Kerala said, "I'm confident. The fate of the Congress party is in the hands of party workers. The odds have been stacked against us as the party leaders and establishment were overwhelmingly with the other candidate."

"I believe the revival of Congress has begun. Today I spoke to Mr. Kharge and said whatever has happened, we remain colleagues and friends," Shashi Tharoor said. 

• The 75 delegates including interim chief Sonia Gandhi, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and senior leaders will cast their vote at the headquarters of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in New Delhi
• Apart from these, 280 other delegates will also cast their vote in the Delhi Congress office
• About 40 delegates involved in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, including Rahul Gandhi, will be casting their vote in the camp itself as the meeting room container in the Bharat Jodo Yatra (which is observing its 'rest day' today) was converted into a polling booth for the party members to elect their new president
• A polling station is being set up at the Sanganakallu campsite in Bellary
• The two contestants -- Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge will cast their votes in their respective state's headquarters Trivendram and Bengaluru

The voting to elect a new Congress chief has begun. 

Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are in the fray.

Electors in the Congress presidential polls have been asked to put a tick mark against the name of their choice on the ballot paper after AICC president candidate Shashi Tharoor's team took up with the party's top poll body the issue of its earlier directive that voters write "1" to reflect their preference, citing that it may lead to confusion.

"The voters are instructed to put a tick mark in the box in front of the candidate whom they wish to vote for. Putting any other symbol or writing a number would make the vote invalid," the directive from Mistry's office said.

Speaking in Bengaluru, Kharge said he would have no shame in taking the advice and support of the Gandhi family in running the party affairs, in case he becomes its president, as they have struggled and put their strength for its growth.

The veteran leader said he is the "delegates' candidate" in these polls.

Meanwhile, Tharoor took a veiled dig at some senior leaders supporting Kharge, saying some colleagues were "indulging in 'netagiri' and telling party workers" that they know whom Sonia Gandhi wants elected.

If anyone has "fear or doubt" in their mind, the party has made it clear that it will be a secret ballot, he said in Lucknow and urged the Congress delegates to listen to their hearts while voting to elect the new party president.

Kharge is considered the firm favourite for his perceived proximity to the Gandhis and backing by senior leaders, even as Tharoor has pitched himself as the candidate of change.

During the campaign, even though Tharoor raised issues of an uneven playing field, both candidates and the party have maintained that the Gandhis are neutral and that there is no "official candidate".

Kharge and Tharoor made fervent appeals on the last day of the campaign with the former being in Bengaluru and the latter in Lucknow as part of the campaign to woo delegates.