Congress president poll anti-climax: Digvijaya Singh pulls out; it's now Shashi Tharoor vs Mallikarjuna Kharge

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday withdrew from the race for the Congress president election and said that he will propose the name of Mallikarjuna Kharge for the party’s top post, effectively meaning that it will be a contest between Kharge and Shashi Tharoor.

“I had yesterday asked Kharge ji if he wanted to contest, he said he was undecided. Today, I went to his residence after learning from the media that he will contest. I told him that he is senior leader and I can’t even think of contesting against him. So, now I will be proposing the name of Mallikarjuna Kharge for the president’s post,” said Digvijaya.

He said all his life he has worked for the Congress and will continue to do so.

“I will never compromise on three things. Fight for Dalit Adivasi rights, fight against communal forces and will always be loyal to Congress,” he added.

Digvijaya Singh’s decision to withdraw from the race came after he met Kharge and KC Venugopal on Friday.

Singh had collected nomination papers for the party president election on Thursday, even as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot opted out of the race.

There is speculation that Singh may replace Kharge as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha if the latter becomes the party chief.

The ‘one man, one post’ formula will apply to Kharge, as in the case of Gehlot, who was asked to quit as chief minister if he contested for the top party post.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor will also file his nomination papers on Friday.

Polling will take place on 17 October and the result will be announced on 19 October.

With inputs from agencies

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