Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said he would have no shame in taking the advice and support of the Gandhi family in running the party affairs, in case he becomes its President, as they have struggled and put their strength for its growth. The veteran leader said that he is the "delegates' candidate" in this poll for the party's highest post, scheduled for October 17.
"They say such things as there is nothing else to tell. BJP indulges in such a campaign and others follow it. Sonia Gandhi has worked for 20 years in the organization...Rahul Gandhi was also president...they have struggled for the party and put their strength for its growth," Kharge said responding to a question about talk that he would be the remote control of the Gandhi family on becoming the AICC President.
Speaking to reporters here, he highlighted that the Nehru-Gandhi family has contributed immensely and sacrificed for this country from Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi to Sonia Gandhi. "Just because we (Congress) lost a few elections, saying such a thing (against Gandhis) is not right. They have done good for this country, and their advice will benefit the party, so I will definitely seek their advice and support. There is no shame in it. If something benefits from your (media) advice, I will take it as well. They have worked for this party and taking their advice is my duty," Kharge said.
Kharge however, did not want to make any direct comments on his opponent in the poll- Tharoor or his campaign, and merely said that everyone has the right to speak about their merit, while seeking support, like he has been highlighting about his connection with the party's grassroots level. "I don't want to get into any controversy, he (Tharoor) is saying his thoughts, I don't want to debate on his thoughts. I'm sharing my thoughts. It is our organization or a family matter. He has the right to say what he wants to, similarly I too have. It is an internal friendly fight," he said, to a question about his message for Tharoor.
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Meanwhile, Tharoor said that he shall work in cooperation with Kharge if he wins. "There's no problem with our ideology but I want to bring a change in our way of work... Mallikarjun Kharge is an experienced leader, if he wins, we'll work in cooperation naturally," Tharoor said while conversing with a group of reporters on Monday.
During the campaign, even though Tharoor has raised issues of an uneven playing field, both candidates and the party have maintained that the Gandhis are neutral and that there is no "official candidate". Asked about the significance of the polls, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said he has always believed in the Congress model of evolving a consensus for such positions. "As we approach E-Day tomorrow this belief has become even stronger. The reasons for this are pretty obvious," Ramesh said without elaborating.
The contrast in the campaigns has been stark, while Kharge's campaign has seen several senior leaders, PCC chiefs, and top leaders receiving him at the state headquarters visited by him, Tharoor has mostly been welcomed by young PCC delegates with PCC chiefs mostly absent from his events. Tharoor has underlined during his campaign that he is the candidate of change while Kharge is of the status quo. Kharge, on his part, has highlighted his experience, coming up the organizational ranks over decades, and his ability to take everyone along.
Both the leaders have emphasized that the Gandhis hold a special place in the party with Kharge saying that he would seek their "guidance" and "suggestions", and Tharoor asserting that no Congress president can function keeping a distance from the Gandhi family as their DNA runs in the party's blood.
Meanwhile, Congress' central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said on Wednesday that the Congress presidential polls will be held by a secret ballot and no one will get to know who voted for whom. He had asserted that a level-playing field had been ensured for both candidates.
Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor will face off in an electoral contest on Monday for the post of AICC chief, as the party gets set to have a non-Gandhi president in over 24 years. Over 9,000 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates form the electoral college to pick the party chief in a secret ballot. Voting would also take place at the AICC headquarters here and at over 65 polling booths across the country in an electoral contest that is taking place for the sixth time in the party's 137-year history.
