Is Mallikarjun Kharge the ‘official’ Congress candidate for the presidential election?

It’s the last day to file the nomination for the Congress presidential election and it’s still unclear who the final contenders are. The latest name doing the rounds is that of senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

After Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced that he will not contest the polls, Kharge, the leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, emerged as the frontrunner and possible “official candidate”, the one who has the backing of the party high command.

The 80-year-old is likely to file his nomination for the October 17 election today.

Why Mallikarjun Kharge?

After Gehlot pulled out of the race following the rebellion in Rajasthan, party insiders said the high command was looking for an alternative. Kharge is the third candidate in the race after Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor.

Singh, who joined the race Thursday, visited Kharge at his residence today.

Kharge is a staunch party loyalist and is considered close to all three Gandhis – Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka. The Dalit leader from Karnataka also assists Rahul with “mission South”, where the party hopes to make an impact. However, Congress’ “one person, one post rule” means he is out as the party’s face for Karnataka chief minister in the state Assembly elections due next year.

If contesting for the post of Congress chief, Kharge will resign as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

The veteran had hinted at his willingness to contest the election but only if Sonia Gandhi agreed, according to a report in The Indian Express.

Does Kharge have support?

Congress veteran KC Venugopal, a key aide of the Gandhis, informed Kharge that the high command’s decision for him to join the race last night, sources told NDTV. He is said to have the backing of the Gandhis even though they have insisted that they will remain neutral.

Kharge is expected to meet party interim president Sonia Gandhi today. He also has the support of former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a member of the G23 group of dissenters.

Is Digvijaya out?

It was only yesterday that the former Madhya Pradesh CM collected nomination papers. But nothing is final until he has officially signed up for the contest.

According to CNN-News18, Digvijaya Singh might pull out of the race.

What about Mukul Wasnik?

Another new name that has come up in the last 12 hours is that of G-23 leader Mukul Wasnik. It’s unclear if he is still in the fray.

He was a Gandhi loyalist until he joined the dissenting group demanding sweeping changes in the party. However, he seems to have won back the trust of the Gandhis doubling up as an emissary during talks with Gehlot.

The 63-year-old Dalit leader from Maharashtra has spent four decades in the party, maintaining a largely low profile.

What is Tharoor saying?

Tharoor was the first leader to throw his hat in the ring and the only confirmed name. He is expected to file his nomination today. “We all share same ideology, want the party to be strengthened; friendly contest, no rivalry,” he told reporters about contesting against Digvijaya Singh.

I’m going to be filing (nomination for post of Congress President) at noon. You’ll see me at 24, Akbar Road: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

On Digvijaya Singh’s candidature, Tharoor says, “We all share same ideology, want the party to be strengthened; friendly contest, no rivalry.” pic.twitter.com/sWt9Ymx5ky

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2022

The Congress MP from Kerala visited Rajghat this morning ahead of filing his nomination.

Tharoor and Digvijaya Singh met on Thursday and agreed that the election is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest. “We both agreed that ours is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues,” he tweeted.

Received a visit from ⁦@digvijaya_28⁩ this afternoon. I welcome his candidacy for the Presidency of our Party. We both agreed that ours is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues. All we both want is that whoever prevails, @incIndia will win!✋