'Want to become voice of change within Congress': Shashi Tharoor ahead of party chief polls

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who filed his nomination for the post of party president on Friday, said that no party other than Congress has internal democracy.

TN National Desk

Updated Oct 4, 2022, 18:08 IST

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor

Photo : PTI

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, one of three contenders for the Congress chief post, on Saturday said that he wants the party to strengthen and also wants to become a “voice of change” within the party.

Tharoor, who filed his nomination for the post of party president on Friday, said that no party other than Congress has internal democracy.

“The internal democracy that we are showing is not present in any other party. When election was announced, I had intention (to contest). I wrote an article, stating that the election is good for the party and mentioned its reasons,” the Kerala MP told ANI.

After that several people, ordinary workers told me to contest the poll. I started thinking and talking to people...I just want the party to strengthen and that I become a voice of change within the party and show its different face to people,” he added.

Tharoor, senior party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and KN Tripathi are the three Congress leaders in the race for party president polls with the veteran Kharge from Karnataka emerging as a clear favourite. The contest is being seen as a direct fight between Kharge and Tharoor as Tripathi, a former minister in Jharkhand, is being considered a lightweight.

Tharoor said if party leaders want change, they should choose him and added that if they are satisfied with the party's working style, they should vote for Kharge.

"This isn't a battle...Let party workers choose, that's our message. I'm saying that if you are satisfied with party's working (style), vote for Kharge sahab. If you want a change, I'm there. But there's no ideological problem...," he added.

When asked about the role of Gandhi family after election of party president, Tharoor said, "Gandhi family and Congress' DNA is the same...No (party) president is such a fool to tell 'goodbye' to Gandhi family. They are a huge asset to us."

Tharoor, 66, had on Friday ruled out withdrawing from the contest, stressing that he has not taken the trouble of filing the nomination only to opt out later. He called his electoral competitor Kharge as a "candidate of continuity" and of "status quo".

More than 9,100 delegates are eligible to cast their votes in the October 17 election. The result will be announced on October 19.

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