'Fighting for big change': Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge files nomination for party President position

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday filed his nomination for the post of Congress president.

"All leaders, workers, delegates, and ministers who came in support of me today, encouraged me, I thank them. We'll see what the results are on the 17th October; hopeful that I win," Kharge said.

"I have been connected to the ideology of Congress since my childhood, used to campaign for the same Gandhi, Nehru ideology when I was in classes 8th, 9th."

Kharge entered the race on Thursday after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced his decision to not contest amid the political crisis in the state.

Reportedly, Kharge is likely to resign as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in line with the grand old party's 'one person, one post' rule. Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are expected to file their nomination today before the 3 pm deadline.

Ten Congress leaders, including Rajasthan's Ashok Gehlot, Punjab's Ambika Soni, Madhya Pradesh's Digvijaya Singh, Maharashtra's Mukul Wasnik among others, have backed Kharge's nomination.

Digvijaya Singh opts out of Congress President election

Earlier in the day, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh opted out of the race for party president after Kharge's entry in the contest.

While speaking to the media, Singh said, "I met Kharge ji yesterday to tell that I will not contest if he is planning to, he is my leader. He told me yesterday that he is not willing to. Today, I came to know from the press that he is a contender. So, I met him today morning to convey that if he is contending, I won't," further adding that he will become the proposer for Kharge instead.