Shashi Tharoor might become new Congress President

Union minister Shashi Tharoor's candidature has been confirmed for the next election. A Lok Sabha MP belonging to Thiruvananthapuram of Kerela, met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday to receive the approval for a petition seeking for reforms within the party. Sonia Gandhi promised him to conduct 'fair and transparent elections and anyone who desires to achieve the position of Congress President may take part in it.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is also going to contest the election this time. The CM had always been a loyalist to the Gandhi family. He had been repeatedly spotted while defending Rahul Gandhi and his family whenever they faced criticism. Shashi Tharoor was expected to acquire the title of Congress President till now. But candidature of the Rajashtan Chief Minister challenged his chances of winning the election.

Final list of nominated candidates would be released on 22nd of September. The election would be held on October 17 and the results would be declared after two days. Rahul Gandhi is right now leading the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Kerala. On being insisted to speak about his participation in the coming congress election he just replied "...will become clear when elections take place". 

Also Gehlot is likely to get the support of those who are campaigning for Rahul Gandhi. It should be noted that numerous senior leaders had already left the party out which most recent was former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Azad. The party has also faced multiple defeats and opposition of some its members to the constant selection of only Gandhi family as President.

As the election date is coming closer the calls for Rahul Gandhi to return is simultaneously growing. Recently minimum seven Congress state units - including Rajasthan and Gujarat have called Rahul Gandhi to contest the election. Sitaram Kesari was the last non-Gandhi Congress chief. Sonia Gandhi took over in March 1998 and returned to the post after Rahul Gandhi quit in 2019.