Congress presidential poll battle intensifies; Ashok Gehlot meets Sonia Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor enquires about nomination - Top points

New Delhi: The battle for the upcoming Congress presidential poll has intensified as the party's senior leaders Ashok Gehlot and Shashi Tharoor arrived in Delhi on Wednesday (September 21, 2022). While Gehlot, the Rajasthan chief minister, who has already indicated that he may enter the party's presidential election fray, met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence, Tharoor, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, met the party's central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry and enquired about the nomination formalities. Both the leaders are said to be preparing to contest the All India Congress Committee (AICC) presidential poll, for which, the election, if there is more than one candidate, will take place on October 17.

According to reports, the Congress presidential poll was also on the agenda during the discussions between Gehlot and Sonia Gandhi. The Rajasthan chief minister is now likely to reach Kochi (Kerala) on Thursday and make a last-ditch effort to convince Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins of the grand old party. Rahul is currently leading his party's 150-day long "Bharat Jodo Yatra" in Kerala.

Talking to reporters after landing in Delhi from Jaipur, Gehlot, in a clear indication that he could throw his hat in the ring for the Congress presidential poll, said he will file his nomination if the party people wish so and fulfil any responsibility given to him. The 71-year-old, however, also said that he will make a last-ditch effort to convince Rahul Gandhi to take up the party president's post.

"The party and the high command have given me everything. I have been on posts for 40-50 years. For me, no post is important, I will fulfil any responsibility given to me," he said.

जिन वर्तमान हालात में हम लोग चल रहे हैं, उसमें एक तरफ राहुल गांधी जी यात्रा कर रहे हैं, उस यात्रा से ही भारतीय जनता पार्टी में बेचैनी पैदा हो गई है, जो मुद्दे उन्होंने उठाए हैं महंगाई और बेरोजगारी के अलावा भी, देश के अंदर जो हालात बने हुए हैं, उसको लेकर पूरा मुल्क चिंतित है। pic.twitter.com/VZKljlQpR6 — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) September 21, 2022

आज मुझे पार्टी ने सबकुछ दिया है, हाईकमान ने सबकुछ दिया है, पिछले 40 साल, 50 साल से मैं पदों पर ही हूं, मेरे लिए अब कोई पद इम्पोर्टेंट नहीं है, मेरे लिए है कि किस प्रकार से मैं जो भी जिम्मेदारी मिलेगी मुझे या जो जिम्मेदारी मुझे लेनी चाहिए, वो मैं निभाऊंगा। — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) September 21, 2022

On the other hand, Tharoor reached the AICC headquarters in Delhi and spoke to Mistry at his office.

Asked about his meeting with Tharoor, Mistry told news agency ANI that he cleared his enquiry on the voters' list, election agent and the filing of nomination.

"He (Tharoor) will be sending a person on (September) 24 to collect the (nomination) forms. He was satisfied," Mistry said.

The meeting was mainly about queries on formalities for filing of nomination, he added.

Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor meets Congress Central Election Authority chairman, Madhusudan Mistry.

(Source: AICC) pic.twitter.com/mK6Km9yyi5 — ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2022

#WATCH | We answered all his (Shashi Tharoor) queries regarding Congress Presidential election. We explained to him about electoral rule, number of agents & their roles, discussed how to fill out the form for Election: Madhusudan Mistry, Cong Central Election Authority chairman pic.twitter.com/hVhkbFTooW — ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2022

Earlier on Monday, Tharoor had also met Sonia Gandhi and had expressed his intention to contest the upcoming AICC chief polls, while the Congress president reportedly conveyed that she would stay "neutral" in the elections.

Congress units in Punjab, Telangana pass resolutions seeking Rahul Gandhi as party president

Meanwhile, the Congress' state units in Punjab and Telangana on Wednesday passed a resolution backing Rahul Gandhi for the post of the party president. Around a dozen Pradesh Congress Committees have so far passed resolutions backing Gandhi as Congress chief, a post he quit in 2019 after the Lok Sabha debacle.

After more than two decades, the grand old party is likely to see a contest for the post of its chief. The party last saw a contest for the post in November 2000, when Jitendra Prasada had lost to Sonia Gandhi. Prior to that, Sitaram Kesri had defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot in 1997.

(With agency inputs)