Congress leader Digvijaya Singh will meet interim president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi Thursday as the election of a new party boss draws near. Singh - a veteran politician and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister - may join Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and ex union minister Shashi Tharoor on the ballot for the October 17 polls, news agency ANI said.
Over the past few weeks both Gehlot - a Gandhi family loyalist - and Tharoor - a member of the G-23 group that has questioned the Gandhis' leadership - have met Sonia Gandhi amid speculation they are in the race to succeed her to the Congress' top post.
Gehlot met Sonia Gandhi Thursday, after which he declared himself ready for any responsibility the party gave him. Post that meeting he flew to Kerala to confer with Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in the southern state.
"The party has given me everything, the high command has given everything. For the last 40-50 years, I have been in various party positions. No post is important for me, what is important for me is how would I handle whatever responsibility is given to me," Gehlot said.
Sources said Sonia Gandhi spoke to Gehlot about the intention of the party leadership (read by many as the Gandhi family) to remain impartial during the election process.
{{/usCountry}}Sources said Sonia Gandhi spoke to Gehlot about the intention of the party leadership (read by many as the Gandhi family) to remain impartial during the election process.
{{/usCountry}}She is believed to have told Tharoor the same thing.
Tharoor met her - also in Delhi - Monday afternoon, hours after he endorsed a petition by younger members of the party seeking 'constructive reforms' within the Congress.
Polls to elect a 'full-time' Congress chief - a key demand of the G-23 - will be held October 17, assuming there is more than one candidate. Votes will be counted October 19.
Rahul Gandhi quit as Congress president in 2019 - after the party's humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha election that year. Sonia Gandhi was made 'interim' chief and has remained in charge since. Rahul Gandhi - urged by over a dozen of the party's state units to return as president - has been non-commital but it appears unlikely he will do so.