New Delhi: Congress presidential election are set to take place today, which will see a tight electoral contest between Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge for the top party post. After 24 years, the Congress party is set to pick up a non-Gandhi as party president. Interestingly, Shashi Tharoor was the first to declare his intent to run in the election.
Kharge’s nomination was a late decision, coming after Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot backed out over discontent in the state party unit. The face-off for the post of AICC chief have been put in place after years of internal conflicts and the pandemic-led delay to replace the interim chief Sonia Gandhi is significant as the party will get a non-Gandhi president in more than 24 years.
Elaborate arrangements have been put in place at polling stations across the nation and voting is scheduled to begin at 10 AM. Over 9000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates from the electoral college to pick the party chief in a secret ballot.