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Only Congress has the tradition of electing party president: Jairam Ramesh

"Everything happening in the Congress is a sideshow. The main show is only 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. This is bringing the transformation in Indian politics," said Congress leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh.

TN National Desk

Updated Oct 1, 2022, 04:32 IST

File picture: Jairam Ramesh

Photo : IANS

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Madhusudan Mistry, the chairman of the Congress Central Election Authority, said a total of 20 nomination forms have been received, adding that the Gandhi family is not supporting any candidate for the party's top post
Mallikarjun Kharge, a known Gandhi family loyalist, entered the fray at the eleventh hour
Mallikarjun Kharge received 14 nominations, Shashi Tharoor received five, and Jharkhand Congress leader KN Tripathi received one, said Mistry

Bengaluru: Congress leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that his party is the only one in the country that elects its president.

While talking to reporters on the sidelines of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Ramesh said that the greatest contribution of Congress to Indian politics has been consensus, and "when that is not made possible, we have an election".

"Only our party has the tradition of electing party president. The other parties do not have elections to this effect. Our party has a system. It does not matter whether Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge or former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor wins the elections," he said.

Regarding the candidates, he said: "I don't want to speak personally... I know Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge as well. We don't have Dalit and other things. One should not see things with the dimension of being a Dalit. All dimensions should be looked at."

"Kharge has five decades of experience in politics. He should be considered and looked at from all dimensions. Kharge has all eligibility. Similarly, Shashi Tharoor has also all required eligibility," he said.

"Everything happening in the Congress is a sideshow. The main show is only 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. This is bringing the transformation in Indian politics," he said, referring to the Congress programme as 'Sanjeevni'.

While referring to the victory of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the Chikmagalur bye-election in 1978, Ramesh said that just as Congress got 'Sanjeevni' in Chikmagalur at that time, the party will get it with 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' this time.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacted with tribals and families of those who lost their lives due to the alleged oxygen shortage in the Chamarajanagar District Hospital during COVID-19.

The tribals demanded that they be allowed to gather forest products in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve forest. Gandhi responded positively to their request that the MM Hills forest region not be declared a tiger reserve.

According to the families of the victims of the oxygen tragedy, the ruling BJP is claiming that the deaths were not related to a lack of oxygen. In addition, they demanded that government jobs be given to their family members. To this, Gandhi assured them that Congress would provide them with government jobs as soon as it comes to power.

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