Congress MP Shashi Tharoor meets Sonia Gandhi ahead of Congress presidential election

New Delhi [India], September 19 (ANI): Amid the buzz over Congress holding an election to choose its president, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor met the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday.
Tharoor is yet to clear the air on his presidential candidature but there has been much speculation that he is a likely candidate for the contest. The meeting takes place days after Tharoor welcomed a petition seeking party reforms.
"I welcome this petition that is being circulated by a group of young @INCIndia
members, seeking constructive reforms in the Party. It has gathered over 650 signatures so far. I am happy to endorse it & go beyond it. https://memo.withinc.in", Tharoor had tweeted.
Earlier, in his article in a Malayalam daily on presidential elections, he said that people are free to speculate whether he would contest for the top post in the party.
Tharoor said, "The point I put forward in the article is that elections are a good thing for the party. A democratic country like ours needs a democratic party. I welcome Congress's decision to conduct polls. People are free to speculate as they like."
The Thiruvananthapuram MP also welcomed elections in the party and said that Rahul Gandhi's refusal to be appointed as the Congress president was disappointing. According to him, however, the party should not be limited by the belief that only one family can lead it.
Tharoor further said, "The process is a few weeks away. Let us wait for the time the procedures begin. In my article, I said multiple candidates will be a good idea. At the end of the day, only one person emerges but the process attracts a lot of attention."
Tharoor had penned an article in Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi saying that the party polls were the first step towards rejuvenation of the organisation. What transpired in the meeting today is yet to be known.
However, several leaders have expressed their demand the Rahul Gandhi accept the position.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge is of the opinion that Rahul Gandhi should take the lead of the Congress party since he has the ability to lift the party from the crisis.
Speaking to ANI, Kharge said, "the entire situation has become clear regarding the election of Congress Party President. I have my personal opinion and it is the feeling of all the workers that Rahul Gandhi should take the lead of the Congress party at this time. He should become the president of the Congress party."
The election of the Congress president post will be held on October 17 as per the decision of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). The counting of votes will be done on October 19. (ANI)