Team News Riveting
New Delhi, October 3
Wary of a rift, Congress party on Monday issued guidelines for its party leaders ahead of the crucial presidential polls with many riders that restrict the cadre from active campaign.
The party has said if any leader wishes to campaign for either of the candidates – Shashi Tharoor or Mallikarjun Kharge – they have to resign from their organisational post first. Focussing for ‘neutral polls’, Congress also said in the notice that all security would be ensured for a ‘fair election’.
“Utmost care will be taken to ensure that there is no mala-fide campaign against any candidate,” the notification issued by the party said.
The polling for the Congress presidential election will be held on October 17 while the counting of votes will take place on October 19. The results will be declared the same day. More than 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates will vote in the poll.
The two senior leaders are in the fray though the last date of withdrawal is October 8. However, both have geared up with campaigns while Tharoor even said he is ready for an ‘open debate’.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had promised Tharoor and the party that a “neutral” poll was the goal and that there was no “official candidate” in the fray. But political observers contested it.
Kharge reportedly has the support of many party leaders including the Gandhi family and is emerging as the front-runner. Tharoor, meanwhile, is currently focused on his campaign #ThinkTomorrowThinkTharoor with little support.
