Mallikarjun Kharge will file his nomination for the Congress election today, sources said. (File)
New Delhi:
Mallikarjun Kharge is the latest to join the contest for Congress president as the candidate backed by the party high command and will resign as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in accordance with the ‘one person one post’ rule, said sources.
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Mr Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, will file his nomination for the October 17 election today as the third candidate alongside Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor, sources said.
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Mr Tharoor and Mr Singh too are expected to file their nominations today, the last day of applications for the election that seems headed for a three-cornered contest. The deadline for applications for the contest is 3 pm.
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Congress veteran KC Venugopal, a key aide of the Gandhis, last night conveyed to Mr Kharge the high command’s decision for him to join the race despite the Gandhis saying that they would remain neutral, sources said.
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Mr Kharge will resign as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in accordance with the ‘one person one post’ rule decided by the party earlier this year, said sources.
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The same rule applied to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who opted out of the race after meeting Sonia Gandhi yesterday. He told reporters he won’t contest the election taking “moral responsibility” for the public rebellion by his loyalists and that he has apologised to Mrs Gandhi.
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Meanwhile, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a key member of the “G-23” group of dissenters who had shot off an explosive letter to Mrs Gandhi in 2020 over organisational changes in the party, has backed Mr Kharge’s candidature, said sources.
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Another Congress leader, Ajay Maken was also considered for the contest till last night as a section of Congress leaders insisted on a younger leader for the job, said sources. Mukul Wasnik, one among the “G-23” leaders, could also be a part of the race, they had indicated.
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Mr Gehlot was seen as the first choice of the Gandhis for the top post until his chances were damaged by the rebellion by his loyalists who said they would not accept Sachin Pilot, who had rebelled against him in 2020, as his replacement as the Chief Minister.
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The Congress, meanwhile, issued warning to the loyalists of Mr Gehlot in Rajasthan, who are already accused of indiscipline. Mr Venugopal said strong action will be taken for statements on the party’s “internal matters and against other leaders”.
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This is the first Congress president election in 20 years. The Gandhi family members have refused to contest making way for other senior leaders to head the party.
