Congress presidential race: Shashi Tharoor speaks to Mallikarjun Kharge, says 'we worked well together in LS'

Shashi Tharoor will begin his campaigning for the Congress presidential election from Nagpur.  He will visit the Deekshabhoomi monument here on Saturday. 

Congress MP and candidate in the party's presidential polls Shashi Tharoor on Friday took to Twitter to write that he has spoken to his opponent Mallikarjun Kharge, and wished him best for the forthcoming event.

Madhusudan Mistry sent a clear message on Friday during a press conference saying that the Gandhi family is not “endorsing anyone” in the race to become the next Congress president. Read more.

Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry, who is overseeing the party's presidential polls, said on Friday that they have received a total of 20 nomination forms, of which 14 were by Mallikarjun Kharge. He added that five were done by Shashi Tharoor and one by Jharkhand Congress leader KN Tripathi. “Tomorrow, we will scrutinise the forms, and…in the evening, we will announce the ones that are valid and the candidates' names,” Mistry said at the press briefing.

Gandhis-backed Kharge receives support from nearly 30 Congress leaders for the party's presidential polls. These names include Deepender Hooda, Salman Khurshid, Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh, Manish Tewari, Prithviraj Chavan, and among others.

Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge at a press briefing told reporters that he is thankful to his party leaders after he filed his nomination papers to become the next party president. He, however, refused to speak about his opponent Shashi Tharoor.

Mallikarjun Kharge files nomination to contest Congress prez polls next month.

After filing nomination papers, Tharoor says: "I've a vision for Congress which I'll be sending to all delegates, we're going to seek their support... I'm here to be the voice of all party workers"

"Nomination papers I submitted reflect extraordinarily wide range of support extended voluntarily to me by party workers across India. We've submitted 5 forms,50 signs. We're about to submit the 6th form before 3pm, which will take the total to 60(signs)."

"These represent party workers from a dozen states in India. We're very pleased to have signs of party colleagues from Kashmir to Kerala, from Punjab to Nagaland. I hope my campaign will appeal to them & will represent a way forward for the party."

Veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s candidacy for the Congress presidential polls has received the backing of many of his party colleagues after his meeting with Sonia Gandhi late on Thursday night generated buzz that he would be a frontrunner in the race. Read more

I welcome Mallikarjun Kharge's nomination for Congress president post, confident that he will elected. Over the years, he has raised the voice of the people in Parliament. I've signed his nomination papers as a proposer: Congress MP Deepender S Hooda

Congress leader Manish Tewari has said his colleague Anand Sharma and he will be backing Mallikarjun Kharge's candidature for party president polls.

Former Jharkhand minister K N Tripathi files his nomination papers for Congress president's election.

Shashi Tharoor has filed the nomination for the Congress presidential poll, which has been surrounded by controversy amid the crisis in Rajasthan. Read more

Supporters of Congress leader Sachin Pilot have reportedly gathered at AICC in Delhi.

“Pilot knows about problems at the ground level and what the party workers go through. We demand such a leader should be made the party president,” a Pilot supporter was quoted by ANI.

Our senior leaders together have taken the decision regarding Kharge ji's nomination (for Congress president post), I will be a proposer for him: Congress leader & Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot in Delhi

Pleased to announce that I will be filing my nomination papers at @INCIndia HQ, 24 Akbar Rd, at 12.15 today & holding a press conference at my residence, 97 Lodhi Estate, at 1 pm. These will both be live on my social media handles: Shashi Tharoor

In a major twist to the last-minute race for the Congress presidential poll, Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh opted out of the race and said he will back Mallikarjun Kharge in the election. Read more

We're fully prepared to hold the elections for party's president post. Any person can submit his nomination form b/w 11am &3pm today. Digvijaya Singh is expected to submit form around 1130am, Tharoor Ji to come at around noon: Congress central election authority chairman, M Mistry

I only see speculation (of LoP Mallikarjun Kharge contesting for post of Congress President). He's also a very respected colleague, we worked together in Lok Sabha. It'll be a good thing to have more people in the frame. The more candidates, the better: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reaches Raj Ghat in Delhi, ahead of filing his nomination for the post of Congress President at noon today.

He says, "When you enter a race, you know that the outcome is uncertain but you go with confidence that you'll give a good account of yourself."

Congress MP Digvijaya Singh meets party leader Mallikarjun Kharge- who is also expected to file his nomination for Congress president post.

I'm going to be filing (nomination for post of Congress President) at noon. You'll see me at 24, Akbar Road: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

On Digvijaya Singh's candidature, Tharoor says, "We all share same ideology, want the party to be strengthened; friendly contest, no rivalry."

Mallikarjun Kharge is another senior Congress leader whose name is doing rounds now as the grand old party sees the last day for the nomination of presidential elections. The polls would be held on October 17 and the results would be expected by October 19. Read more