Page 4 - Shashi Tharoor

Tharoor dismisses talk of withdrawing from Congress president poll race

Congress presidential polls candidate Shashi Tharoor on Saturday dismissed talk of him withdrawing from the election, asserting that he never backs down from a challenge and "it is a fight to the finish". Tharoor, who has been aggressively campaigning in the polls, also asserted that it was a "friendly contest" within the party that was taking place and he is here to stay the course. Tharoor is set to take on Mallikarjun Kharge in the polls. "There are rumours going around attributed to sources in Delhi that I am withdrawing (from the polls) today. Let me assure you, I don't withdraw from a challenge, never have all my life, never will," the MP from Thiruvnathapuram said in a video message on Twitter. "This is a struggle, it is a friendly contest within the party, but it is a fight to the finish and I am here to stay the course. Please come and vote on October 17. For me, 'Think tomorrow, think Tharoor'," Tharoor said. His remarks come on the last date for the withdrawal of ...

In election manifesto, Tharoor pitches for limiting state chiefs' term

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday favoured limiting the term of office for state presidents in the party and said Congress should be revived and re-energised to take on BJP in the 2024 general elections. Denying rumours that he may opt out of the presidential race due to meagre support, Tharoor said he was very much in the fray and has been receiving support from various quarters. "My message is revive the party, re-energise it, empower workers, decentralise authority and be in touch with the people. This, I believe will make Congress politically fit to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP in the 2024 (general) election," Tharoor said during his interaction with media persons at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, the Congress state headquarters. Stating that he has respect and great regards for party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge, Tharoor said the contest was friendly based on different approaches to face the BJP and not ideological, as both hailed from the same party. "We need

Want Congress to be party of young India, says MP Shashi Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, in the race for the top position in the party, on Thursday said he wanted to change Congress into the party of young India and that support for his presidential candidature is swelling by the day. The Thiruvananthapuram MP, on a brief campaign in Chennai, said how his party viewed Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra and the presidential poll, mattered most and not what others outside felt. "It's what the Congress party looks at the Bharat Jodo Yatra and its presidency that matters and not the opposition criticism... It is a challenging election for the delegates because there's only one physical location to hold the election, that's PCC headquarters. I am still confident that we will see a good turnout," he said. Speaking to reporters after paying floral tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Kamaraj here, Tharoor said he was getting enormous amount of feedback from ordinary party workers, especially the ...

Rahul was asked to request me to withdraw from Cong prez poll: Tharoor

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was asked by some party leaders to seek withdrawal of Shashi Tharoor's candidature, the Thiruvananthapuram MP, who has made an aggressive bid to its top post, claimed here on Tuesday. Tharoor, who is in Kerala as part of the poll campaign, told reporters here that Gandhi said he will not ask the former to withdraw as a contest would benefit the grand old party. "He reminded me that he has been saying so for the past 10 years that there should be a contest for the party chief's post. "He also told me that some persons have asked him to request me to withdraw my candidature. He told me he will not do so. He said I should not withdraw and that I should contest in the election," the Thiruvananthapuram MP said. Earlier in the day, he said that he never expected big leaders to support him and does not expect it even now, but at the same time he needs everyone's backing. The statement came in the wake of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) preside

Tharoor picks 'Reinvent Cong' slogan, rules out differences with Kharge

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday asserted that a reimagined party is needed to take on the BJP, while seeking support from party electors for his candidacy to the post of party chief. Tharoor, who is canvassing for his candidature among party delegates, ruled out ideological difference with veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also in the presidential race. "Let me make clear that I agree with @kharge ji that all of us in @incIndia wish to take on the BJP rather than each other. There is no ideological difference between us. The choice for our voting colleagues Oct 17 is only on how to do it most effectively," Tharoor said in a tweet. His remarks comes a day after Kharge said he conveyed to Tharoor that a consensus candidate would be better, but the Lok Sabha MP insisted on a contest for the "sake of democracy". Tharoor, who is in Hyderabad in connection with his campaign for Congress presidential poll, said he has "enormous" respect for his rival Kharge. "I believe we

Tharoor highlights need for 'renewed, reinvigorated' Cong to take on BJP

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that with two consecutive losses in the LS elections, there is a need for a "renewed and reinvigorated" party to take on the challenge of the ruling BJP at Centre

Congress president's election: Uncertain times ahead for the party

The election of Kharge as Congress president is almost certain. From here on, if the Congress does not improve its poor electoral performance, a challenge could emerge to the Gandhi family leadership

Told Tharoor better to have consensus candidate: Mallikarjun Kharge

Nominee for the Congress president post Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said he told fellow contender Shashi Tharoor that it would be better to have a consensus candidate, but the Lok Sabha MP insisted on a contest for the "sake of democracy". Kharge said if he becomes the party chief, he will consult the Gandhi family and other senior leaders and implement the good things suggested by them, even as he rejected claims that he was the "official candidate" backed by the Gandhis. Launching his Congress presidential poll campaign with a press conference at his residence here, 80-year-old Kharge said there is no G-23 camp now and all those leaders want to fight unitedly against the RSS-BJP and therefore are supporting him. Several dissident leaders such as Bhupinder Hooda, Anand Sharma, Manish Tewari and Prithviraj Chavan of the group of 23, which had written to party chief Sonia Gandhi in 2020 for large scale organisational reform, have put their weight behind Kharge by becoming his ...

Open to public debate between Cong prez poll candidates: Shashi Tharoor

Set for an electoral face-off with Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge for the AICC chief's post, Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said he would be open to the idea of a public debate between the candidates as it would evoke people's interest in the party in a manner similar to the recent British Conservative Party leadership race. He also said the Nehru-Gandhi family has held and will always hold a special place in the hearts of Congress party members. In an interview with PTI, Tharoor said the answer to the Congress' current challenges lies in a combination of effective leadership and organisational reforms. Kharge and Tharoor were left in the fray in the Congress presidential poll after former Jharkhand minister K N Tripathi's nomination was rejected on Saturday. Talking about what he brings to the table, Tharoor said, "I have a proven and credible track record in leading at the highest levels of organisations, whether it has been at the UN, where, as the under-secretary ..

Congress President polls: Gehlot says Tharoor belongs to elite class

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said veteran party leader Mallikarjun Kharge has the experience to strengthen the Congress and would emerge as a clear winner in the party presidential poll, while his rival in the race Shashi Tharoor belongs to the "elite class". Kharge has a long political experience. He has a clean heart, he comes from the Dalit community and (Kharge contesting election) is being welcomed everywhere, he told reporters after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the secretariat here. Gehlot, one of the proposers of Kharge, said Tharoor is also a good man and has good thoughts but he is from the elite class. "Tharoor is a class apart; he is from elite class but the kind of experience which is needed to strengthen the party at booth, block and district levels, that is with Kharge and cannot be compared to Shashi Tharoor," he said "Therefore, it will naturally be a one-sided contest for Kharge, he said. Kharge and Tharoor are in a direct contest for th

Tharoor likely to make way for Shinde faction Sena MP as IT panel chief

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will likely make way for Shinde faction Sena MP as IT panel chief

Tharoor backers: 2 ex- union ministers, G-23 leader among 60 signatories

Former Union ministers Mohsina Kidwai, Saifuddin Soz, four MPs and G-23 leader Sandeep Dikshit are among those who signed the nomination forms in support of Shashi Tharoor's candidacy for the post of Congress president. Tharoor posted six forms on Twitter though he could submit only five on Friday as he was late by a few minutes in submitting the sixth form. Also, it was not known if all his five forms were admitted as Congress' central election authority chief Madhusudan Mistry said on Saturday that out of the total 20 nomination forms, four were rejected. While one rejected form was of former Jharkhand minister K N Tripathi, Mistry refused to divulge who had filed the other three forms that were rejected. Party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Tharoor are now left in the fray. While Kharge had submitted 14 forms, Tharoor submitted five and Tripathi one. According to the six forms posted by Tharoor on Twitter that had the signatures of 60 Pradesh Congress Committee delegates (10 e

Congress poll: Tripathi's nomination rejected, it's Kharge vs Tharoor

Former Jharkhand minister K N Tripathi's nomination for the Congress presidential poll was rejected on Saturday, setting up a contest between party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor. The three had filed nominations on Friday, the last day of the process. Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters here, AICC Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said a total of 20 forms were received during the nomination process and four of them were rejected. While Kharge submitted 14 forms, Tharoor submitted five and Tripathi one. Mistry said Tripathi's form was rejected as the signature of one of his proposers did not match and another proposer's signature was repeated.

Tharoor to start his campaign from Nagpur, to visit Deekshabhoomi

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will visit the Deekshabhoomi monument here on Saturday and start his campaign for the party president's election. Tharoor will pay his tributes at Deekhabhoomi, where Dr B R Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with his followers in 1956, on Saturday, said Maharashtra Congress leader Ashish Deshmukh. Deshmukh has organized the Thiruvananthapuram MP's visit here. Tharoor filed his nomination for the Congress president's election in Delhi earlier in the day. On Sunday he will visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sewagram Ashram at Wardha and Vinoba Bhave's Ashram at Pawnar, Deshmukh told PTI. "Tharoor is a popular Congress MP who has done remarkable work for the country at the international level. The election for Congress president is an important step for decentralization in the party," he said. Deshmukh also claimed that Congress delegates in 12 states have openly backed Tharoor and he is getting the support of party leaders and activists from all over India.

Congress president polls: Tharoor, Kharge, and Tripathi file nomination

While the leaders have come out and claimed that the elections in the party is a friendly contest and not a battle between the rivals, reports suggest that Kharge is a favourite candidate

BJP attacks Shashi Tharoor for showing India's 'mutilated' map in manifesto

The BJP on Friday took a dig at Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor over the country's map shown in his manifesto, saying he put a "mutilated map" not having parts of Jammu and Kashmir may be to "find favour" with the Gandhis. Tharoor filed his nomination on Friday and released a manifesto which had India's map that did not appear accurate as some parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were omitted. Later his office said the map has been corrected. In a tweet, BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya said Tharoor put a mutilated map of India in his manifesto. Taking a swipe at Tharoor, he said, "While Rahul Gandhi is supposedly on a Bharat Jodo Yatra, wannabe Congress President is hell bent on dismembering India. May be he thinks this might help find favour with the Gandhis." Echoing similar sentiments, BJP's national spokesperson RP Singh said, "It is not a mistake or blunder but laid policy of Congress about Jammu and Kashmir." Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are the main conten

Kharge, Tharoor and Tripathi in fray for Congress Presidential poll

Mallikarjun Kharge, Shashi Tharoor and K N Tripathi are the three men in the Congress presidential race for which nominations end on Friday with the veteran Kharge from Karnataka emerging a clear favourite. The 80-year-old Kharge, flanked by top Congress leaders, filed several sets of nomination papers with the proposers also including members from the G-23 ginger group comprising Anand Sharma, Prithviraj Chavan, Manish Tewari and Bhupinder Hooda. Tharoor, who was also part of the G-23 group, filed five sets of nomination papers, while former Jharkhand minister Tripathi filed a single set of poll papers with Madhusudan Mistry, the chairman of the Congress's Central Election Authority. Kharge appeared to be a clear favourite for the Congress presidential election as a galaxy of leaders were present by his side when he filed his nomination papers at the AICC headquarters here. "I was encouraged by all leaders, party workers and delegates from key states to contest the elections. I th

Gandhi family not backing anyone 'directly or indirectly': Tharoor

Congress presidential poll candidate Shashi Tharoor on Friday said he is aware of his underdog tag and talk of an 'official candidate' in some quarters but he has been assured by the Gandhi family repeatedly that they are "neither directly nor indirectly" backing anyone. Tharoor, who filed his nomination papers for the top post at the AICC headquarters here, also said it is apparent that not everything about the electoral process has been ideal, but added that there is no point seeking perfection now as if one wants to play the match, one has to "bat on the available pitch". The Thiruvananthapuram MP, however, asserted that he remains convinced of the party's commitment towards ensuring that these elections take place in a free and fair manner. In an exclusive interview with PTI, Tharoor said he believes that a fresh leader, who has not been "jaded by being entrenched within the current system for too long", could energise the party and also appeal to more voters than the Congress .

'Congress should stand for change, not surprised party backing Kharge'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday asserted that he has a vision to strengthen the party which should be a vehicle for "change" as he filed his nomination for the party president poll. Addressing a press conference after filing his papers, the former Union minister called his rival Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also contesting and is being seen as the favourite to win, 'Bhishma Pitamah' of the Congress. "It is a friendly contest that is going to happen. We are not enemies or rivals. No disrespect to him but I will represent my ideas," the articulate and savvy Kerala MP told reporters. Tharoor called Kharge, 80, a "candidate of continuity", an apparent reference to the impression that the Karnataka leader is the choice of the Gandhis. "I am not surprised that the establishment is rallying behind the status quo. If you want the status quo, I think you should vote for Mr. Kharge. If you want change and progress with an eye to the rest of the 21st century, then I hope I will stand for t

Congress president poll: As nominations close, here are 10 things to know

This is the first Congress president election in more than 20 years with no member of the Gandhi family in the contest