HomeWorldMPs Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor - covered different states in their...

MPs Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor – covered different states in their campaigns

At least 9,200 congressional delegates across the country will cast their ballots on Monday to elect the party’s 37th president since independence in an election that could change the course of Congress. Both the candidates – MPs Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor – covered different states in their campaigns, though members of the Gandhi family kept a distance from the entire voting process. Even though Tharoor’s campaign appeared to be on fire, many party insiders see Kharge as a possible winner, with the support of much of the party establishment and key “G23” leaders. Polling will be held at all Pradesh Congress offices and AICC headquarters at 24, Akbar Road.

The last such election in 2000 was between Sonia Gandhi and Jitendra Prasad. Out of 7,700 votes, Sonia got 7,448 while Prasada got only 94. The remaining votes were either invalid or not polled. However, Tharoor is expected to put up a tougher fight with Kharg as he enjoys support from the younger section of the party.

Former Congress presidents Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are slated to contest the election. Rahul will cast his vote at a special polling booth at the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ camp in Sanganakall, Karnataka, according to people with knowledge of the matter. A total of 41 ‘Bharat Yatris’ who are delegates of the Pradesh Congress Committee will vote at the camp, they added. Sonia and Priyanka are expected to vote at the AICC headquarters.

The last non-Gandhi Congress president, Sitaram Kesri, headed the party for less than two years before being unceremoniously removed by the Congress Working Committee on 14 March 1998 to select Sonia Gandhi as party chief. She became the longest serving President of the Congress Party at 22 years (Indira Gandhi headed the party for seven years and Jawaharlal Nehru for eight years).

The new party chairman takes office in the midst of a gripping party crisis. In the last two general elections, it failed to reach triple digits — the first time in the history of a party in two consecutive Lok Sabha elections. She has been defeated in 37 assembly elections since 2014 and faces a challenging future against the formidable BJP. The party has lost promising young leaders as well as loyal veterans, even as Rahul Gandhi’s decision-making has come under fire from party members.

However, Congress general secretary for communications Jairam Ramesh did not attach much importance to the election, saying, “I am not at all convinced that organizational elections will actually strengthen the organization in any way.” They may serve individual purposes, but their value in building a collective spirit is questionable.” He emphasized that the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the party’s biggest mass mobilization campaign, was more important.

Political observers have already expressed doubts whether Kharge, seen as the nominee of the party high command, can bring about change in a party that is desperate to win back electoral bases. “Kharge is likely to win, but he is likely to follow Rahul Gandhi’s vision,” said a senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity. On the last day of the campaign, Kharge posted a video mostly consisting of clips of him participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, urging people to vote for him. He will cast his vote in Bangalore, people familiar with the matter said.

On Monday, Tharoor did not waste the precious last day before the elections and campaigned in Assam. The Lok Sabha MP claimed that he did not get a warm welcome in many states and even the list of delegates or voters he received did not have many names and contact numbers. He also claimed the election was an “unlevel playing field”, suggesting bias against him. His team made several allegations that CWC leaders and many PCC chiefs were openly campaigning for Kharge, prompting the Congress to announce that all AICC general secretaries, trustees and other functionaries could not vote in their respective states.

Read NowThe next UN climate summit to be held in Egypt next month

[responsivevoice_button buttontext="Listen This Post" voice="Hindi Female"]

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

RELATED ARTICLES

Trending News

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt Plan to Name ₹250 Crore Bungalow After Daughter Raha Kapoor

Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Neetu Kapoor were recently spotted together at their under-construction bungalow in Mumbai's Bandra area....

PM Narendra Modi and Bill Gates Discuss AI, Technology Future, and Women Empowerment

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates engaged in discussions covering a broad spectrum of...

Unraveling the Mystery of the Sun’s Bizarre Rotation with Varying Spin Rates Across Different Latitudes

The Sun's rotation is a peculiar phenomenon that has long baffled scientists. Unlike what one might expect, its surface...

Hardik Pandya, Mumbai Indians, and the Quandary of IPL Allegiance, coupled with MI’s defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad

The recent Mumbai Indians vs. Gujarat Titans match witnessed Hardik Pandya facing criticism and scrutiny, reflecting underlying tensions within...