New Congress chief must work with Gandhis, state leaders, says P Chidambaram

The Congress party is gearing up to crown its new chief as the results of the presidential polls will be declared on Wednesday. With Kharge, who is considered a favourite with his perceived proximity to the Gandhis and a large number of senior leaders backing him, pitted against Tharoor, who has pitched himself as the candidate of change, talks have been afoot over who will hold the ‘power’ once the president is elected.

Veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram dismissed notions that the new president will turn into a ‘puppet’ of the Gandhi family but added that the election of the new chief will not diminish the voice of the Gandhis, he told NDTV.

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“Let's assume the Gandhis will still have a great degree of influence at the national level. But when it percolates down, you think the Gandhis will be able to dictate once leaders are elected at district level through elections?" he questioned.

"You have to treat this (election) as a major change in 22 years. The (new chief) has to work with the Gandhis, he has to work with the state leaders. I am sure the new Congress president will learn to work with everybody," he added.

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The Congress will get its first non-Gandhi president in 24 years on Wednesday after more than 9,500 votes were cast to choose between senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are counted to cap the election contest, the sixth in its 137-year-old history.

The counting of the votes began at around 10 am on Wednesday at the AICC headquarters.

(With inputs from PTI)