BackCongress President election: Digvijaya Singh enters race. See list of other probable candidate here
Earlier, Ashok Gehlot and Shashi Tharoor were considered two prominent candidates for the post and now the possible candidature of Digvijaya Singh has added a new twist to the battle.
PremiumAshok Gehlot was considered a top contender in the polls but the crisis in Rajasthan, for which show cause notice has been sent to three of his loyalists, has caused some uncertainty about his candidature.
Earlier, Gehlot and Tharoor were considered two prominent candidates for the post and now the possible candidature of Digvijaya Singh has added a new twist to the battle. As per PTI report, other names of senior party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Kamal Nath, Sushilkumar Shinde, Mukul Wasnik and Kumari Selja are now also doing the rounds for the post.
Digvijaya Singh has been involved in the planning of the Bharat Jodo Yatra which is led by Rahul Gandhi.
With only two days left for filing nomination for Congress president elections and no form having been filled seemingly due to the Rajasthan crisis, senior party leader Digivjaya Singh has apparently decided to contest the polls.
"I had no plans to come to Delhi, but because of this election, I am coming to Delhi," Singh has said.
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He may file the nominations for the president's post on Thursday.
Singh has said that he has not talked to the Gandhi family members but he has decided to fight elections and file a nomination.
The name of Digvijay Singh has made the battle interesting as G23 leader Shashi Tharoor is likely to file the nomination on Friday.
On Wednesday, Gehlot too reached Delhi to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.
Ashok Gehlot has been on target of leaders after the happenings in Jaipur where a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting had been scheduled as part of the process to decide his successor. The suspense remains on Gehlot's nomination as several leaders are approaching Sonia Gandhi to reconsider his name.
If Digvijay Singh emerges as a candidate, he would be the X factor in the polls. The nomination process for election to Congress next president will continue till September 30 and the election result will be declared on October 19. Earlier, as per NDTV, Kamal Nath is also “being considered and may contest" for nomination.
Apart from these candidates, senior Congress leader M Mallikarjun Kharge is also not averse to running for AICC president polls if party chief Sonia Gandhi asks him to contest, news agency PTI has reported citing sources.
Names of leaders like Kharge, a former Union minister and a Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, are doing the rounds for the October 17 AICC presidential election for which the nomination process would continue till September 30.
"Kharge has told Sonia Gandhi that whatever the party decides, he will adhere to it," a close associate of the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said, adding: "Ultimately, he will do what the party (Sonia Gandhi) suggests him to do".
A Congress leader said Kharge has "good connect and rapport" with opposition leaders like NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury which would be an "added advantage" and "he is sharp as ever".
"In the Hindi heartland also, he has got a sort of fan following for his Hindi," another leader said.
Sources close to 80-year-old Kharge, however, also said he believes only the Nehru-Gandhi family has the "enigma and charisma" and no one else has that kind of clout throughout the country.
Kharge has also pitched for the return of Rahul Gandhi as Congress president.
As per details, interested Congress leaders can apply for the party president post till 30 September. If there comes a situation of election, it will take place on 17 October and the results will be announced two days later
In 2000, Jitendra Prasada challenged Sonia Gandhi and it was the last time anyone form the party challenged a Gandhi.
(With inputs from agencies)
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