Gehlot vs Tharoor contest is official now as latter's aide collects nomination papers for former UN diplomat

Aditi Tandon

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New Delhi, September 24

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday opened his bid for the upcoming party presidential election by collecting the nomination papers from the office of the AICC central election committee.

Tharoor’s aide collected the forms on his behalf with the former minister of state for external affairs expected to file his nomination after Monday, like Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The Gehlot versus Tharoor fight is now official, with the latter set to complete the formalities.

The nomination process for the election began on Saturday and will continue till September 30 followed by scrutiny on October 1, withdrawals by October 8, elections on October 17 and result on October 19.

The Congress is geared up to get the first non-Gandhi president in over two decades after Rahul Gandhi opted out of the race and clarified that no Gandhi would run for the top post.

Rahul had taken the same position in August 2019 while tendering his resignation to the Congress Working Committee in the wake of the party’s electoral debacle in the general election.

Rahul’s move is aimed at blunting the constant BJP onslaught on dynastic parties, correcting his own public image and reconnecting with the masses.

Tharoor, 66, became the first candidate to collect the nomination papers for the elections though it has been clear for a while that Gehlot will also run.

Meanwhile, buzz is growing in the Congress that Gehlot may have veterans rallying behind him.