Vote for Kharge if...: Tharoor on Cong prez polls

October 01, 2022 15:21

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said that his contest against senior party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge "is not a battle" in the presidential elections of the grand old party.

Tharoor and Kharge filed their nominations on Friday for the crucial polls, scheduled for October 17, after days of controversy over the infighting in Rajasthan.

"This isn't a battle. Let party workers choose, that's our message. I am saying that if you are satisfied with party's working, vote for Kharge sahab. If you want change, I am there. But there's no ideological problem," Tharoor told news agency ANI.

"The internal democracy that we are showing is not present in any other party. When election was announced, I had intention (to contest). I wrote an article, stating that the election is good for party and mentioned its reasons. After that several people, ordinary workers told me to contest the poll. I started thinking and talking to people...I just want the party to strengthen and that I become a voice of the changes within the party and show its different face to people," said Tharoor.

When asked about the role of Gandhi family after election of party president, Tharoor said: "From the times of (Jawaharlal) Nehru, the Congress has been playing a crucial role. And hence the Gandhi family is important. No party president is foolish enough to bid goodbye to the Gandhis. They are a huge asset to us."

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

After Delhi, schools in Ahmedabad get bomb threat mails

Polling in 25 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7.

Paris 2024 Olympics may face cybersecurity nightmare

Paris 2024 gearing up to face unprecedented cybersecurity threat

Every NEET paper accounted for, social media images fake, says NTA

Stressing that every question paper has been "accounted for", the NTA said that purported images of the question paper circulating on social media have no relation with the actual paper.

Jadeja's all-round show sparks T20 WC excitement

Jadeja will be expected to play a key role in the T20 showpiece in the United States and West Indies, where the ball is likely to turn.

India's first-ever hybrid pitch unveiled in Dharamsala

'Yes, the playing conditions still vary over time. But you're still in control of what sort of works for you on a pitch. So, you might play on a new hybrid pitch for one game.'