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Congress president polls: Prefer to challenge BJP, rather than each other, says Shashi Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who is running for party president against veteran Mallikarjun Kharge, claims the two have no ideological differences. His remarks came just a day after Kharge declared that all Congress leaders are united in their fight against the BJP and its ideological pillar, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Congress president polls: Prefer to challenge BJP, rather than each other, says Shashi Tharoor - adt
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First Published Oct 3, 2022, 12:57 PM IST

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, on Monday, stated that the party's members prefer to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party most effectively rather than each other. The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who is set to face off against Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge for the party president position, claims the two have no ideological differences.

"Let me state unequivocally that I agree with @kharge Ji that all of us in @incIndia prefer to take on the BJP rather than each other. We don't have any ideological differences. The only option for our voting colleagues on October 17 is how to do it most effectively," Tharoor tweeted. 

 

Tharoor's comments came a day after Congress senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge said all Congress leaders are united in their fight against the BJP and its ideological fountainhead, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and that he told Tharoor that a consensus candidate would be preferable. According to Kharge, Tharoor insisted on a vote for the "sake of democracy."

Kharge, who resigned as Rajya Sabha leader to run for president following the "one person, one vote" principle, launched his Congress presidential campaign on Sunday.

Leaders like Bhupinder Hooda, Anand Sharma, Manish Tewari, and Prithviraj Chavan, among the G23 leaders who wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi in 2020 seeking organisational reforms in the party, backed Kharge's candidacy by becoming his proposers for the election next month.

Kharge insisted that there is no longer a G23 camp. "All G23 leaders want to work together to stay united and fight the BJP-RSS. This is why they're supporting me," he explained.

Kharge (80) stated that he is contesting the election at the request of senior leaders as no member of the Gandhi family wishes to be a party chief.

The presidential election for Congress will be held on October 17. Counting votes will begin on October 19, and the results will be announced the same day.

The election will be attended by over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates.

Also Read: Viral photo: Rahul Gandhi delivers speech amid heavy rainfall during yatra, netizens react

Also Read: Congress president polls: Not to oppose, but to support party, says Mallikarjun Kharge after filing nomination

Also Read: Who will replace Mallikarjun Kharge as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha? See details here

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