EXCLUSIVE: Shashi Tharoor Will Not Withdraw Name From Congress President Poll, Says ‘Not In This Race For Myself’

Former Union Minister said that he is in the party's presidential race for the sake of ordinary workers and cannot betray them.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor files his nomination papers for the post of party President, at AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. ( Image Source :PTI )

Congress President Poll: Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor makes it clear that he will not be withdrawing his name from the Congress president poll race as the last date of withdrawal of name approaches. Talking to ABP Live, the former Union Minister said that he is in the party's presidential race for the sake of ordinary workers and cannot betray them.

“I will never betray those who have stuck their necks out for me. I will never let them down. I am not in this race for myself but as the voice of all those ordinary karyakartas who have reached out to me and urged me to contest,” Shashi Tharoor told ABP Live.

Tharoor is pitted against senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, considered Sonia Gandhi's choice of candidate for the party's top post.

After deliberations, it was made clear that no one from the Gandhi family (Rahul, Sonia or Priyanka) will be contesting in the Congress president poll.

Tharoor, part of a discontent Congress leaders group called G-23, was one of the first members to express his interest in the Congress top post.

Three-time Kerala MP also met Sonia Gandhi, ahead of officially declaring himself as a candidate. 

Much drama ensued for candidate nominations as the current Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the initial candidate considered by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, rallied MLAs in his favour flexing power at the state level. This did not sit well with the party's high command as he declared his intention of not contesting the party president's poll name after much hype.

He later apologised for the actions taken by Rajasthan Congress Legislature Party after initially denying that it was done under his leadership.

The polling for the Congress presidential election will be held on October 17 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is October 8. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 19 and the results will be declared the same day.