Congress president election: It's Kharge vs Tharoor as Gehlot, Digvijaya sit out

The stage was set on Friday for a contest between Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor for the Congress president's post with the Dalit leader from Karnataka emerging as the clear favourite.

The third candidate in the fray, K N Tripathi, a former minister in Jharkhand, is considered a lightweight for the contest.

Kharge, Tharoor and Tripathi filed nominations on the last day which saw the AICC headquarters come back to life after long, with workers swarming the complex.

The 80-year-old Kharge, flanked by top Congress leaders, filed 14 sets of nomination papers with the proposers including Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh, A K Antony, Ambika Soni, Mukul Wasnik and members from the G-23 ginger group comprising Anand Sharma, Bhupinder Hooda, Prithviraj Chavan and Manish Tewari.

Tharoor, who was also part of the G-23 group, filed five sets of nomination papers, while former Jharkhand minister Tripathi filed a single set of poll papers with Madhusudan Mistry, the chairman of the Congress's Central Election Authority.

Congress is only party which has system for electing a president. Congress' greatest contribution to Indian politics has been consensus, when that is not made possible, we have an election. Every voter has QR coded voter ID card. This is part of democratic politics. Everything happening in the Congress party is a sideshow, the main show is only the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it is the narrative. It is a transformation of Indian politics, it is the transformation of the Congress party: Jairam Ramesh

The BJP on Friday took a swipe at the Congress after senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge emerged as the favourite to win the poll for party president, suggesting that he will be a "proxy" and "remote-controlled".

"Mallikarjun Kharge at 80 is an inspiring choice for the Congress. He is young, energetic and just what the Congress needed to ensure its revival. He should just pick Dr Manmohan Singh's manual on 'Living by the Remote Control' and it is all sorted," BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said in a tweet.

Shashi Tharoor continues to hang in, he added, referring to the Congress MP, who has also filed his nomination for the Congress president post.
Most senior Congress leaders, however, rally around Kharge, who is seen to have the backing of the Gandhis even though they have conveyed that they will remain neutral in the election.

Some quarters but he has been assured by the Gandhi family repeatedly that they are "neither directly nor indirectly" backing anyone.

Tharoor, who filed his nomination papers for the top post at the AICC headquarters here, also said it is apparent that not everything about the electoral process has been ideal, but added that there is no point seeking perfection now as if one wants to play the match, one has to "bat on the available pitch".

The Thiruvananthapuram MP, however, asserted that he remains convinced of the party's commitment towards ensuring that these elections take place in a free and fair manner.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge files nomination to president's post. 

Senior Congress leader & MP Shashi Tharoor files his nomination for the post of Congress President at the AICC office in Delhi. After filing nomination, Tharoor says, "Gandhi family is and remains foundational pillar of Congress, our moral conscience, ultimate guiding spirit. Remain convinced of Congress' commitment towards ensuring that AICC chief election takes place in free and fair manner. Not everything about electoral process is ideal; if one wants to play a match, one has to bat on available pitch: Tharoor on Cong prez poll. Fresh leader, not 'jaded' by being entrenched within the current system for too long, can energise party."

Shashi Tharoor reaches All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in Delhi to file nomination for Congress President

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said all senior leaders had decided to back veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's candidature for the party chief's election. Gehlot, who declared on Thursday that he would not contest the election, also announced his support for Kharge after meeting the senior leader at his 10, Rajaji Marg residence. "All senior leaders have together decided on Kharge's candidature," Gehlot told reporters outside Kharge's residence.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor visited Rajghat here on Friday and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi ahead of filing his nomination papers for the party's presidential poll.  "Paid tribute to the man who built India's bridge to the 21st century this morning," Tharoor said in a tweet.

He quoted former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi as saying, "India is an Old country but a young nation... I dream of India Strong, Independent, Self-Reliant and in the front rank of the nations of the world, in the service of mankind."

New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI) Senior member of the pro-reform G23 group Manish Tewari on Friday called for consensus on the post of Congress president and recalled late President Pranab Mukherjee's pitch for the same. In a tweet on the last day of filing of papers for the party chief's poll, Tewari cited the ongoing confusion to seek agreement.

"Leadership, Ideological clarity, narrative and transparent access to resources are pillars of 'A' political party. Given recent unfortunate events it's time to close ranks & strengthen @INCIndia recalling wise words of @CitiznMukherjee & work for a Consensus & effective Presidency," Tewari said. Tewari quoted Mukherjee's memoir where the late president said, "Certain offices should not be sought. They should be offered. Congress presidency to be one such office.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who is one of the leading contestants for the Congress Presidential polls, said that he welcomes Mallikarjun Kharge's nomination to contest for Congress top post.  Shashi Tharoor will file his nomination at 12.15 pm. 

Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Digvijaya Singh will file their nominations for the upcoming party president election on Friday, the last day of the process. The leader also said there is no "no rivalry" among party leaders, who are in the fray adding that it is a "friendly contest"

Ahead of filing his nomination for the Congress presidential poll, party leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday met his colleagues Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal. The details of the meetings were not known immediately.

Singh collected nomination papers for the party president election on Thursday, even as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot opted out of the race.
Kharge is also likely to enter the contest with the blessing of the Gandhi family. There is speculation that Singh may replace Kharge as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha if the latter becomes the party chief.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge may file a nomination for the Congress president’s election on Friday, claimed some news reports. 

Gehlot opts out of Cong president election; decision on his continuation as Rajasthan CM in a day or two. In a day of frantic developments, Digvijaya Singh entered the fray for the Congress president's election as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot opted out of the race and the suspense over his continuation at the helm in the state deepened with the party saying a decision would be taken in a day or two.

It remained unclear whether Singh or someone else would have the backing of Sonia Gandhi as her successor, with sources saying a Dalit leader could emerge as a dark horse for the top party post and that Mallikarjun Kharge is the frontrunner.

Kharge will be meeting Sonia Gandhi Friday morning. The names of Mukul Wasnik and Kumari Selja are also doing the rounds.