Kharge vs Tharoor in Congress presidential poll as Digvijaya Singh opts out
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New Delhi: Digvijaya Singh, a senior in the Congress, declared on Friday that he will not run for party president.
He declared that he would put forward his colleague Mallikarjun Kharge's name for the position and remarked, "I have worked for Congress all my life till now, will continue doing so. I don't compromise on three things - standing for the Dalit, tribals and poor, fighting against those who disturb communal harmony and my commitment to Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family."
Digvijaya Singh had already met his coworkers KC Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge. The meetings' specifics were not immediately known, NIE reported.
On Thursday, Singh gathered the nomination forms for the party's presidential election while Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister of Rajasthan, decided not to run.
On Friday, MP Shashi Tharoor of Thiruvananthapuram also submitted his nomination paperwork. Before submitting his nomination, Tharoor paid a visit to Rajghat and paid respects to Mahatma Gandhi.
"Paid tribute to the man who built India's bridge to the 21st century this morning," Tharoor said in a tweet.
Mallikarjun Kharge, a veteran of the Congress, also submitted his nomination for the top position in the party around noon.
The 80-year-old boss is starting to look like a dark horse. Sonia Gandhi, the party's leader, is rumoured to have been keen for Kharge to run for office.
After Rahul Gandhi resigned in 2019 and accepted moral responsibility for the Congress party's performance in the Lok Sabha elections, Kharge's name had begun to circulate for the top post. Prior to his filing the nomination, sources had said, "Kharge is likely to file his nomination with one section of the Gandhi loyalists approaching him to contest the polls. However, the final decision will be taken shortly".
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.
On October 17, there will be voting, and on October 19, the results will be declared.