Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor met Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here on Sunday and discussed the party’s future as well as the upcoming AICC president polls, sources said.
The meeting comes amid both leaders being seen as prospective contenders for the post of AICC president.
Sources said the two leaders discussed the party’s future going ahead as well as the upcoming polls for the post of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president during their meeting that lasted for about half-an-hour.
Gehlot last week had sought to play down reports about him being the frontrunner for the Congress president’s post and said efforts will be made till the last minute to persuade Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins of the party again.
Tharoor has said he would decide whether to throw his hat in the ring for the Congress president polls only after the election notification comes out.
Both Gehlot and Tharoor were present at the party’s ‘Mehengai Par Halla Bol’ rally at the Ramlila Maidan here. Speaking at the rally, Gehlot said, “The people in the BJP are fascists, they only wear the mask of democracy.”
“The situation of the entire country is very concerning, the Constitution is being destroyed, democracy is in danger. Modi has forgotten the things he had said during UPA rule,” he said.
“The credibility of Gandhis is highest and even more than yours (Modi’s), as no one in the Gandhi family has held any position in the government including being the prime minister,” he said.
Gehlot said there is an atmosphere of hatred and violence in the country and thus the need for uniting people, and the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
Later, in a tweet, Tharoor hailed Rahul Gandhi’s “strong speech” at the party’s rally here and noted that huge crowds thronged the Ramlila Maidan for it.
Gandhi on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of weakening the country by spreading fear and hatred which he said will benefit India’s enemies, as the party tried to corner the central government over the price rise issue with a massive rally here.
A strong speech by @RahulGandhi at @INCIndia’s #MehengaiParHallaBol rally roused the huge crowds thronging the Ram Lila Maidan. Now to take the message across the country in the #BharatJodoYatra! pic.twitter.com/Y6gXGlDLIt
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 4, 2022
The notification for the Congress president’s election will be out on 22 September and the process for filing nominations will be held from 24 to 30 September.
The last date for withdrawal of nominations is 8 October and the election, if required, will be held on 17 October. The results will be out on 19 October.
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