Seniors openly supporting Kharge disturbs level-playing field: Tharoor

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New Delhi, October 13

Former minister and Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor, one of the two candidates for the October 17 party president election, on Thursday said the level playing field in the poll had been disturbed due to some seniors who were openly siding with Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also in the fray.

Many seniors in the party are openly siding with Kharge and naturally that disturbs the level-playing field. Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP

“When I say the level playing field is not there, I mean many seniors in the party are openly siding with Kharge and naturally that disturbs the level playing field,” Tharoor said while addressing Delhi Pradesh Congress delegates today. Tharoor said the voters’ list he had received from the Central Election Authority contained wrong information of several electors because of which he was unable to reach all voters.

“I am not criticising the election authority. I know they are doing their best to ensure a free and fair election. Since no elections have been held for 22 years, the voters’ lists are not clean. These have many errors and misinformation. There are incomplete contact details in the lists of delegates we received. Some lists have names but no contact numbers, some have names but no address. Hence, it is difficult to reach out,” Tharoor said. He said party veterans had even organised meetings for Kharge.

“There have been times when the state unit chief has not been available at the PCC office during my visit due to previously fixed schedules in favour of Kharge. No such favours are being given to me,” said the former Minister of State for External Affairs who has ignored calls to withdraw in favour of Kharge.

Congress Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry had yesterday allayed Tharoor’s concerns saying voting was by a secret ballot and delegates were free to vote without fear or favour.

Mistry had added he could not help leaders campaigning for a certain candidate.