Cong prez poll: Only 12 of 700 delegates show up for Tharoor's Chennai campaign, says report

As Congress presidential election continues to get the grand old party into the spotlight, things do not seem to be going so well for Shashi Tharoor, the first Congress leader to announce his candidature for the intra-party elections.

Tharoor is in Tamil Nadu at present carrying out his election campaign in the state. However, according to a report in NDTV, only around 12 leaders attended his meeting in Chennai where he was campaigning to seek the support of 700-plus Congress delegates.

"It is their loss if they are afraid to attend my meet. We could have had a constructive exchange. The Gandhis have clarified that they have no official candidate. We will dispel the myth that Kharge is the official candidate," Shashi Tharoor told the reporters reacting to the low turnout as per the report.

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Party sources have revealed to the publication that the low turnout stemmed from the belief that Tharoor is not the 'official' candidate of Congress. Hence, attending the campaign would be seen as going against the party.

Tharoor has repeatedly pointed out that the Gandhis have claimed there is no "official" candidate and the family is going to remain neutral in the election. "The Gandhis have clarified that they have no official candidate. We will dispel the myth that Kharge is the official candidate," he told reporters after the campaign.

Prior to the disappointing turnout that Tharoor experienced in Chennai, eminent Congress leaders like K Sudhakaran and Muraleedharan had also announced their loyalty to Kharge in the presidential bid.

Tharoor had earlier said that he was getting an enormous amount of feedback from ordinary party workers, especially the youngsters. He said it was very gratifying for him that the youth, who are the future and also the majority in our country, back him in the polls.

Shedding light on the outcome of the elections, Tharoor said, "whoever wins the elections -- whether Kharge or I -- the real victory is for the Congress party."

The Congress presidential polls are scheduled to be held on October 17.

(With inputs from PTI)