It's Kharge vs Tharoor in Congress presidential election today
After the nomination phase witnessed a rollercoaster ride with a series of political dramas, over 9,000 delegates from the state units of Congress will cast their votes to elect their new president on Monday. With other candidates out of the race, the competition stands between veteran leader and Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge and Thiruvanathapuram MP Shashi Tharoor. Votes will be counted on Wednesday.
Why does this story matter?
This will be Congress's sixth presidential election since independence. The 137-year-old party will now see a non-Gandhi leader at its helm in 24 years. Sonia Gandhi was persuaded to return as interim president in 2019 after Rahul Gandhi quit the post following electoral defeats. The grand old party, nevertheless, faced a string of losses in state elections leading to calls for reforming party functioning.
Party veterans termed Kharge as 'safe pair of hands'
Tharoor has projected himself as a "young" face for the post while calling for an organizational overhaul and has termed Kharge as the reinforcer of the status quo. While Kharge (80) earlier said he didn't want to be compared to Tharoor, many Congress stalwarts have backed him owing to his vast and varied experience and nearly half a century of service to the party.
Will seek guidance from Gandhis: Kharge
Mallikarjun Kharge has trashed speculations of being the "official" candidate, saying the perception of a proxy party chief endorsed by the Gandhis was perpetuated by the media. He added that he might not consult the Gandhis on every decision but had no qualms about seeking their "guidance" and suggestions as they have experience in leading the party, and he believed in a collective approach.
Tharoor has alleged uneven playing field
Meanwhile, Kharge's rival, Tharoor, has earlier claimed that it was an "uneven playing field." He said that several senior party leaders and state unit chiefs met and welcomed Kharge but not him. Leaders backing Tharoor earlier also approached the party's election authority led by Madhusudan Mistry about some of the party's state unit chiefs openly endorsing Kharge in violation of the party's election guidelines.
Animated polemics: BJP vs Congress
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its bete noire, the Congress, earlier engaged in a social media battle, with the former attacking the latter's countrywide "Bharat Jodo Yatra." In a video, the BJP portrayed Rahul as an "anti-national" with animated figures holding placards with separatist slogans on them. The Congress has hit back with an animated video targeting PM Narendra Modi's "unfulfilled" promises.
