Shashi Tharoor kicks off his campaign by visiting the Deekshabhoomi . memorial
Nagpur:
Congressman Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said he had been told by Gandhi’s family that there was no “official” candidate in the party presidential election and that they would remain neutral.
MP Thiruvananthapuram also hinted that he would not withdraw from the voting race, saying he could not betray his supporters.
Mr. Tharoor kicked off his campaign for party chairman by visiting the Deekshabhoomi memorial where BR Ambedkar converted to Buddhism with his followers on October 14, 1956.
Mr Tharoor and veteran Mallikarjun Kharge party are competing for the election, scheduled for October 17 in the event that none of them withdraw.
“I met all three people (Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka) from the Gandhi family. They kept telling me that there is no official candidate in the presidential election and there will be no such candidate. They want a good and fair election.” The Gandhi family would be neutral and the party apparatus unbiased. They want a good election and the party solidified. I have no doubt when the party chairman assures me,” he told reporters.
He was answering a question about whether Kharge was the choice of the Gandhi family and their favorite candidate.
“It is an election between colleagues. There is no animosity or war. It is a friendly contest. We are calling for support by putting our resolutions,” the leader of the National Assembly said. speak.
Asked about whether the election will take place, Tharoor said, “My question is how can I betray so many people who have shown confidence in me and support me. I won’t. leave them”. Tharoor said people might judge him as an underdog and assume it will be a tough competition for him, but he insists he never runs away from difficulty.
“I was asked by ordinary working people in the party to run for office. The unskilled workers of the National Assembly wanted change in the party and I wanted to be their voice and also the voice of the Nation. youth union,” Tharoor said, adding that he is confident about his prospects in the election and has people in the party supporting him.
According to an announcement released by the party on Thursday, the nomination process for the election runs from September 24 to 30.
Mr Tharoor submitted his nomination on Friday, the final day of the process.
Withdrawal of nominations is allowed until October 8, and the final list of candidates will be announced at 5 p.m. on the same day.
Voting, if necessary, will be held on October 17. The counting of votes will be conducted on October 19 and the results will be announced on the same day.
When asked about the nature of the changes required in the National Assembly party, Tharoor listed decentralization (of power), empowering lower levels up to the party committee, commune and state levels and empowering the people. unskilled workers.
He was a member of the G-23 group of Congress demanding an overhaul of organization and elections at all levels of the party.
During his visit to Nagpur, Tharoor released the first copy of his newly published book “Ambedkar: A Life”.
On Sunday, Tharoor will visit Mahatma Gandhi’s Sewagram Ashram at Wardha at 9am and then Vinoba Bhave’s Ashram in Pavnar. He will return to Nagpur before 12:45 and hold meetings with senior leaders of the National Assembly, party members and workers of the party’s state units.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from the syndication feed.)
