Team News Riveting
Bhopal, October 12
Mallikarjun Kharge, who is one of the two candidates contesting the party presidential election, responded in a lighter way to a serious query.
“There is a saying, ‘Bakrid mein bachenge toh Muharram mein nachenge’. First, let these elections get over and let me become president, then we’ll see,” Kharge told reporters when asked who would be the Congress’ Prime Minister face, Rahul Gandhi or he in 2024 general elections. He said his focus now was to win the presidential election.
If elected, will he be the obvious choice as prime ministerial candidate too? Kharge, 80, doesn’t want to think that far, however, he neither ruled out anything. Kharge, who is presently contesting the party presidential election against Shashi Tharoor, believes in focussing on one work at a time.
Voting for Congress president election is scheduled to take place on October 17. Both Kharge and Tharoor have been canvassing hard, however, party insiders say Kharge has an edge and undeclared support of the Gandhis too.
Amid calls for a young leadership from within the party, Kharge had recently said that he would implement the Udaipur Declaration’s proposal of offering 50 per cent of party posts to those below 50 years of age if he wins the president poll.
The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha is almost certain to win the election, which is held the first in over 20 years without a member from the Gandhi family in the race. The 80-year-old Congress veteran made a late entry into the contest for the party top post after Ashok Gehlot backed out from the fray.
The Congress has repeatedly denied that no one is official candidate.
