Congress President Election: The voting phase of the Congress President election is over. 96 percent of valid voters voted.
Rahul Gandhi in the voting line for the Congress president election
New Delhi: On Monday (October 17), the polling session for the Congress president election ended at 4 pm. This is the sixth time in the party's 137-year history that the president of the party is being determined through election competition. The Electoral College of the Congress consisted of 9,850 representatives of the Pradesh Congress Committee. However, Congress Central Election Authority Chairman Madhusudan Mistry said that 96 percent of valid voters cast their votes that day. And in Bengal, 88 percent voted. He also said that no untoward incident took place during the voting process. 87 delegates submitted their views at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi. And 50 people including Rahul Gandhi voted in Karnataka's Bharat Jodo Yatra camp.
On this day, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra voted at the AICC headquarters. "I have been waiting for this (presidential election) for a long time," said party interim president Sonia after voting. Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram cast his vote at the AICC headquarters. President candidate Mallikarjun Kharge casts his vote in Bengaluru. Shashi Tharoor votes in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. And Rahul Gandhi is seen queuing up outside the booth set up at the Bharat Joro Yatra camp.
After the polling phase, Central Election Authority Chairman Madhusudan Mistry said, “Congress is satisfied with the election process for the post of president. The election was free, fair and transparent.” After the election, Shashi Tharoor said in a tweet, "My thanks to everyone." Congress colleagues across the country today, delegates who have shown the courage to participate, campaign, dream and vote in the election process, whatever the outcome of the election, it's your victory! Jai Hind, Jai Congress!”
After a long 22 years, the polling was held to decide the Congress president. Last time, Sonia Gandhi was challenged by Jeetendra Prasad. However, he was defeated by a huge margin. There have been no elections since then. After Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi became the president unanimously. After she left the post, Sonia took over again as the Acting President from 2019.
Top Congress leaders are voting
In all, after 24 years, no one from the Gandhi family is in the presidential race. Even with a non-Gandhi president, the party's control will remain in the hands of the Gandhi family, senior Congress leaders have said in unison. Several Congress leaders said on Monday that the guidance of the Gandhi family will continue to be crucial for the party in the coming days. They will play an important role in the party in the coming days as well. Instead, Mallikarjun Khargei is considered to be the undeclared candidate of the Gandhi family. Whether Kharge will win, or whether the party representatives will rely on Shashi Tharoor, who claims to be a 'candidate for change', will have to wait till October 19 to know. The votes will be counted and the results declared on the same day.
