Mallikarjun Kharge dismisses ‘rumours’ of Sonia Gandhi’s support

Congress veteran leader and party’s presidential candidate, Mallikarjun Kharge, said that his name was not suggested by the party supremo Sonia Gandhi and dismissed the speculations of receiving support from the party’s interim president.

Kharge said that Sonia Gandhi had never suggested his name for the party president position and called it a rumour. “Sonia Gandhi suggesting my name for the president’s position is all a rumour, I have never said this. She has clearly stated that anyone from the Gandhi family will neither be a part of the election nor support any candidate,” Kharge said on Tuesday.

Notably, Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress President.

“Someone has spread this rumour to defame the Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, and me. She has clearly stated that she will not participate in the party elections nor will she come in support of any candidate,” Kharge said.

Kharge further said that the members of the party have elected delegates, which are 9300 in number, who will vote for the candidate and the one with the majority will be elected.

Talking about the voters of Uttar Pradesh, he said that there were a total of “1250 voters” (delegates) in UP.

“I am not here to see the chances for me, the candidates that have asked me to contest will be responsible for my victory,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Kharge had said that he is fighting the Congress Presidential polls because the conditions in the country is very “bad” and he wants to “fight” them.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.