Team News Riveting
New Delhi, September 30
Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, will be the next Congress president with the Gandhi family loyalists as well as leaders of the pro-reform G-23 group throwing their weight behind him.
The 8-year-old leader filed his nomination for the election to the top post on Friday amidst flurry of political activities within the party.
Kharge was a last-minute entrant in the fray after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot pulled out of the race. He announced his decision to run after a series of meeting with another contender Digvijaya Singh, who withdrew in the veteran’s favour.
A group of senior Congress leaders met Kharge today morning requesting him to accept the proposal after Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot pulled out of the race. After a lengthy discussion, Kharge has reportedly given his consent. Today is the last day of filing the nomination papers.
Digvijaya Singh later announced that he would not contest the Congress presidential election and would instead propose the candidature of his senior Mallikarjun Kharge. “I can’t even think of contesting against Mallikarjun Kharge. He is my senior and I support him fully. I won’t be contesting. I will propose Kharge ji’s nomination form,” Singh said today.
Singh, who had collected nomination papers for himself, met Kharge on Thursday night and failed to convince him. The second round of meeting took place today morning in which Kharge gave his consent. “He is filing his nomination and I will be his proposer,” Singh said.
Shashi Tharoor will file his papers today and May later withdraw too in Kharge’s favour.
Sources said Kharge would resign as leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, a position that could probably go to Digvijaya Singh under the party’s one person, one post policy.
