Tharoor also said that state party chiefs had been “unavailable” during his campaign for the internal polls in various states.
New Delhi: Two days after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot supported veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s candidacy for the post of Congress president, senior leader and a contender Shashi Tharoor iterated that no party office-bearer is allowed to campaign for any candidate running for the top post in the party.
At the party office in Bhopal, Tharoor said, “There are clear instructions that no party office-bearer, Chief Minister or Pradesh Congress Committee chief should support or campaign for any candidate.”
Tharoor was in Bhopal to seek support of party leaders for the upcoming election for the post of Congress president which is scheduled to be held on October 17. Tharoor’s comment came after Gehlot released a video on Twitter in support of Kharge.
WATCH ASHOK GEHLOT’S VIDEO BELOW:
Seeking action against Gehlot’s tweet, Tharoor said, “It is up to the Central Election Authority (CEA), which is responsible to conduct fair and balanced elections within the party, to take action (over Gehlot’s remarks).”
Earlier, Tharoor had alleged an “uneven playing field”. “There are certainly aspects that imply an uneven playing field,” Tharoor had said. He had also revealed that some leaders had told him they were “under pressure” to back Kharge.
Tharoor also said that state party chiefs had been “unavailable” during his campaign for the internal polls in various states. “I have seen in many places, the PCC (Pradesh Congress Chief), CLP (Congress Legislature Party) leaders and big leaders welcome Mallikarjun Kharge, sit with him, invite people and tell them to be present. All this happened for one candidate but never for me,” Tharoor said.
