My Only Agenda Is Implementing 'Udaipur Declaration': Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress presidential candidate Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday asserted that he did not have any separate poll manifesto and implementing the Udaipur declaration was his only agenda.

Mr Kharge, addressing a press conference after meeting Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee functionaries, said he, if elected, would try and implement all that have been proposed in the declaration adopted by the party at the Chintan Shivir held in Rajasthan earlier in the year..

Mr Kharge, on his arrival, was received by senior party leaders at the airport.

"I do not have any separate election manifesto. My manifesto is the same as that of the Congress party. I will lead the party as per the decisions made at the recent Chintan Shivir held at Udaipur in Rajasthan," he said.

Six AICC expert committees -- on political affairs, organizational affairs, social justice, agriculture, economy and foreign affairs -- had given their observations at the Udaipur conclave, based on which the declaration was made, and "I will try to implement all of those observations on the ground", he maintained Party sources said that majority of the 428 OPCC members will vote in favour of Kharge, who is in the race against Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.

Replying a question on his fellow contestant, Mr Kharge said, "He (Shashi Tharoor) is like my younger brother." The Congress presidential poll is scheduled to take place on October 17, and the results will be declared two days later.

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