New Delhi: Sources close to MP Shashi Tharoor said resolutions passed by several state units of the Congress urging Rahul Gandhi to take over as party president have not been “authorised” by interim chief Sonia Gandhi.
In a meeting between the Congress president and Tharoor on Monday, according to sources close to the matter, Sonia said she would remain “neutral” during the election process and in other words, the Gandhi family would not get “favourites”. Candidate “.
The interim president, however, did not clarify whether Rahul would contest the party’s upcoming presidential election.
Sources said Tharoor met him as he wants to throw his hat on for the internal elections.
In the past few days, seven state units of the Congress have passed a resolution to re-appoint Rahul Gandhi as the president.
However, sources close to the Gandhi scion told ThePrint that he is “adamant” about not contesting or taking office.
Soon after Tharoor’s meeting, which lasted around 30-40 minutes, reports also claimed that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot could be the contender against the Kerala MP.
Earlier there was news that Sonia Gandhi had asked Gehlot to stand up. However, the chief minister has since said that he wants Rahul Gandhi to take over.
In fact, the state unit of the Congress in Rajasthan, at Gehlot’s behest, was the first state unit to pass a resolution for Rahul to formally take over the leadership of the party.
In the event of a possible face-off between Gehlot and Tharoor, this will be the first presidential election for the Congress to see a contest in 22 years. It would also mean that a non-Gandhi would take over as the party president after 24 years.
read also, No elections for Congress state chiefs and AICC members to be ‘nominated’ by new party president
‘Nobody’s approval needed to contest elections’
Reacting to reports of Tharoor meeting Sonia Gandhi, Congress MP and party’s communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said no one’s permission is needed to contest the presidential election.
“Whoever wants to contest is free and you are welcome to do so. This has been the consistent position of the Congress President and Mr. Rahul Gandhi. It is an open, democratic and transparent process. No one needs anyone’s permission to contest elections.
The Print sought a response from the Congress on Sonia Gandhi’s stand with regard to the resolutions passed by the state units of the Congress, but did not get any response.
Meanwhile, an appeal has been made in the party asking the presidential candidates to retain the proposals made at Udaipur Nav Sankalp Shivir – a brainstorming session organized by the party in May.
Tharoor has supported this appeal.
According to Praveen Chakraborty, president of the Congress’s data and analytics wing, which is closely associated with the party elections, more than 2,100 party members have signed the appeal in a day since its launch on Monday.
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