New Delhi: The Indian National Congress is all set to get a new party president. The counting of the votes started on Wednesday at 10 am.
The former Union Ministers Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are in the fray and it will be for the first time in 24 years that the party will get a party chief who does not belong to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
New president will replace Sonia Gandhi
The new president will take place of Sonia Gandhi who had been serving as interim president after Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the post following the party's debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The result is likely to be declared between 3 pm to 4 pm. The ballot boxes from the state headquarters have reached the counting place in the Congress office.
Mallikarjun considered favourite
Mallikarjun Kharge is seen as the favourite to win the contest. Five agents from each side will oversee the counting while two agents from both sides will be kept in reserve, sources said.
The Chairman of the Central Election Authority will announce the result after counting. More than 9,500 delegates cast their votes in the presidential election which took place at the culmination of the party's organisational polls.
Sources said seven-eight tables will be set up for counting of votes and each table will have two persons.
Congress sources said the elected president will take charge after Diwali in the presence of senior leaders in a programme at the Congress headquarters.
It has not been decided whether the certificate will be given to the winner on Wednesday or later.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was earlier the frontrunner for the post, will be in Delhi tomorrow. Rahul Gandhi will continue on the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
