Kharge vs Tharoor: About 96 per cent turnout in Congress presidential polls; no adverse incident reported

New Delhi, October 17

About 9,500 of the total around 9,900 electors cast their votes in the Congress presidential polls, the party’s central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said on Monday.

The overall voter turnout was about 96 per cent and in small states, it was nearly 100 per cent, he said at a press conference after voting ended in the Mallikarjun Kharge versus Shashi Tharoor contest.

By and large the voter turnout in all places was over 90 per cent, Mistry said adding that this was provisional data.

“The most satisfactory thing for us was that in all states where polling booths were set up, no adverse incident was reported. This is a big achievement…polls were held in an open process in a peaceful manner,” Mistry said.

“Congress party has shown what internal democracy is and other parties that want to take a lesson from it, can do so,” he said.

Mistry said no one should have any apprehensions as it is a secret ballot and nobody will get to know who voted for whom.

He said the ballot boxes will arrive by Tuesday evening and before the counting begins, they will be mixed thoroughly.

Three ballot boxes, two of Delhi state and one of AICC headquarters, have been received, he said.

Mistry said 87 delegates cast their vote at the party headquarters here.

Asked about elections to the Congress Working Committee, Mistry said it depends on the next president and the plenary session of the Congress.

“When the plenary meets, if it decides to have an election of the CWC, there will be elections. But the president has to take a call on the CWC as well as the CEC (central election committee) but I am not in a position to comment on it today,” he said.

Kharge is considered the favourite for his perceived proximity to the Gandhis and backing by senior leaders, even as Tharoor has pitched himself as the candidate of change.