Congress President Polls 2022 Live:
Over 9000 Congress leaders voted today to usher in a non-Gandhi as the party chief in more than 20 years. With veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge seen as the favourite, his opponent Shashi Tharoor said he was "confident" despite the odds.
The Congress will elect a non-Gandhi president after 22 years in today's presidential election.
The elections are being held three years after Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the top post after the second straight election defeat of the Congress in 2019. The 52-year-old, who is currently leading the party's "Bharat Jodo" yatra, has firmly refused to return as president despite unrelenting pressure from a section of leaders.
Sonia Gandhi, who had taken a step back from party responsibilities, was persuaded to make a comeback as its interim chief in August 2019.
Here are the Highlights on the Congress presidential election:
"New Chief Must Listen To Gandhis' Views": P Chidambaram
The election of a new Congress president will not diminish the voice of the Gandhis, veteran leader P Chidambaram said today as the party voted to pick a non-Gandhi chief, the first in decades. "No one is saying the voice of the Gandhis will diminish. The new president must listen to their views in the Congress Working Committee (CWC), parliamentary board and party forums," Mr Chidambaram told NDTV.
Will New Congress Chief Be Remote-Controlled By Gandhis? Jairam Ramesh Answers
"Absolutely not. Rahul rejected the same in Karnataka while answering this question. These are all used by critics of the Congress party. Two competent individuals are competing and 9,000 delegates will make their choice. Process is being monitored. Every effort to keep it free, fair polls. We are only party with independent election authority," said Jairam Ramesh.
Sonia Gandhi On Congress Polls
Congress's interim chief Sonia Gandhi, who cast her vote in the morning, said, "I have been waiting for a long time for this day". Mrs Gandhi still remains chairperson of the party's parliamentary board and Gaurav Gogoi, the party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, has said Rahul Gandhi will remain the "face of the party for 2024 election".
Mallikarjun Kharge Or Shashi Tharoor? Congress Voting Ends
Over 9000 Congress leaders voted today to usher in a non-Gandhi as the party chief in more than 20 years. With veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge seen as the favourite, his opponent Shashi Tharoor said he was "confident" despite the odds.
"99% Of Goa Congressmen Will Vote For M Kharge": Goa Ex Chief Minister
Commenting on the polls underway on Monday for the new Congress chief, Congress MP and former Goa chief minister Francisco Sardinha said Shashi Tharoor should have withdrawn from the poll race, to pave the way for Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge to get elected unopposed. "Ninety nine per cent of the Congressmen from Goa will vote for Mallikarjun Kharge," he said.
As Congress Vote For Party President, Shashi Tharoor On What India Needs
"I am standing for change", Congress presidential poll candidate Shashi Tharoor said today after casting his vote along with 264 other party delegates from the state.
Of the total 310 delegates in Kerala, 264 cast their vote till 1 PM in favour of either Tharoor or his rival Mallikarjun Kharge, who has been openly supported by the senior party leaders in the southern state. Polling will end at 4 PM.
Prior to casting his vote, Tharoor told reporters here that there is a need for a change in how the party functions and this poll was part of that.
"2 Excellent Candidates": Congress Leader Vivek Tankha On Presidential Poll
Congress leader Vivek Tankha said his party has set an example by holding a transparent election for the top post.
He said both Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor, running for Congress President, are "excellent candidates".
"There are two excellent candidates who are contesting this election. Mallikarjun Kharge is a thorough gentleman and reliable. On the other side, it is my good friend Shashi Tharoor who is Akarshan Ka Kendra. He is my good friend," he told NDTV.
Top leaders stress Gandhi family to play key role: Report
With the Congress set to elect its first non-Gandhi president in over 24 years, senior leaders on Monday stressed the Gandhi family's guidance will be crucial and will play an important role in the party in the days to come.
The polls are significant as the new president would replace Sonia Gandhi, the longest-serving Congress president who has been at the helm since 1998, barring the two years between 2017 and 2019 when Rahul Gandhi took over.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, state Congress chief cast vote
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and state Congress head Mohan Markam were among the party leaders who cast their votes on Monday for electing the next president of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
"Mallikarjun Kharge Will Win": Congress' Siddaramaiah After Casting Vote
The Congress is set to have its first non-Gandhi chief in over 20 years as Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor face off in the party's internal election today.
Calling Mr Kharge an experienced leader, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he deserves to become the new party chief as he has worked for the party for a long time.
"In Karnataka, all voters have voted for Mallikarjun Kharge. He has been with the party for the past many years. Mr Kharge will build the party in a democratic manner," he told NDTV.
Congress will emerge stronger : Goa unit chief Amit Patkar
The Congress will emerge stronger in the country under its new national president, Goa party head Amit Patkar said on Monday after casting his vote for polls to elect the next All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief.
Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Shashi Tharoor are contesting the election for the top party post.
Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath among early voters in Madhya Pradesh
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and his parliamentarian son Nakul Nath cast their votes on Monday soon after polling began to elect the next All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief.
Veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge is pitted against party MP Shashi Tharoor for the Congress president's post.
A total of 502 delegates from Madhya Pradesh are eligible to cast their votes in the polls.
Watch: Rahul Gandhi cast his vote in Karnataka
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh casts his vote
M Kharge's Loyalty will Pay Royalty": Karnataka Congress Chief
Karnataka Congress Chief D K Shivakumar today extended his support to veteran party leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is contesting today's presidential election, and said that his "seniority and loyalty" will help him win.
"He will have a big sweep in Karnataka. Party leaders here have campaigned for him. With his experience, things will go well for him in the other states also," he told NDTV.
"Loyalty and seniority are very important in any political system. Mr Kharge's loyalty will pay royalty," Mr Shivakumar said.
Without Gandhis Congress Can't Survive: DK Shivakumar: Karnataka Congress chief
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi at the party office in Delhi
Priyanka Gandhi after casting her vote
Relation with Congress will be same: Ashok Gehlot
Mallikarjun Kharge on Shashi Tharoor
It is a part of our internal election. Whatever we said to each other is on a friendly note. Together we have to build the party. Shashi Tharoor telephoned me and wished me luck & I also said the same
Jairam Ramesh lauds Congress presidential polls as historic
The Congress presidential polls are free, fair and transparent, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Monday and hailed the elections as "historic".
He said the Congress is the only political party that has elections for the post of president and also the only one to have a TN Seshan-like central election authority chairman in Madhusudan Mistry.
Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to vote at around 11 am
Delegates of the Tamil Nadu unit of Congress party vote
Congress MPs P Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh and other party leaders cast their votes at the party office in Delhi
Congress only political party that has elections for the post of president, says Jairam Ramesh after casting his vote
How Rahul Gandhi, Congress Workers Particiapting In March Will Vote Today
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh informed on Monday that the meeting room container in the Bharat Jodo Yatra had been converted into a polling booth for the party members to elect their new president.
This polling booth is located at the campsite of the Bharat Jodo Yatra where the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party's 3500 kilometres yatra from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir is observing a "rest day" on the 40th day of the march in Sanganakallu since its commencement on September 7.
Shashi Tharoor tweets, extends best wishes to rival contender Mallikarjun Kharge
Over 300 Congress delegates to vote in Delhi
A total of 75 Congress delegates incl party's interim pres Sonia Gandhi, Gen Secy Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former PM Manmohan Singh & other CWC members & senior leaders will cast their votes in the party headquarters, while 280 delegates will cast their votes in Delhi Congress office.
The polling booth for Congress Presidential elections at the Bharat Jodo Yatra campsite in Sanganakallu, Ballari in Karnataka will open at 10am," tweets Congress Communications in charge Jairam Ramesh
Congress Presidential Election: Voting Process Explained
Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor will face off in an electoral contest on Monday for the post of Congress chief, as the party gets ready to have a non-Gandhi president after 22 years.
Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee delegates from the Electoral College to pick the party chief in a secret ballot. These delegates are elected every five years from within the organisation.
Read Here Congress Presidential Election: Voting Process Explained
Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor will face off in an electoral contest on Monday for the post of Congress chief, as the party gets ready to have a non-Gandhi president after 22 years.
Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee delegates from the Electoral College to pick the party chief in a secret ballot. These delegates are elected every five years from within the organisation.
Read Here Mallikarjun Kharge vs Shashi Tharoor In Congress Polls Today
The Congress is set to have its first non-Gandhi chief in over 20 years as Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor face off in the party's internal election today.
While none of the Gandhis are contesting, Mr Kharge is seen as the 'approved' candidate.
Both Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge have reiterated the non-involvement of the Gandhis. But Mr Tharoor has pointed to what he called "difference in treatment", "bias" and an "uneven playing field".