New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who filed his nomination for the post of party president on Friday, appealed to all delegates to vote for him. After filing his nomination papers at the AICC office, Kharge told reporters, "I thank senior leaders from all states for supporting me in the Congress presidential election," adding that he was fighting for big change in the party. Friday is the last day for filing nominations for the top party post.


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Mallikarjun Kharge's candidature was proposed by party leaders Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh, Pramod Tiwari, PL Punia, AK Antony, Pawan Kumar Bansal and Mukul Wasnik. 



G23 leaders Anand Sharma and Manish Tewari have also backed him saying Kharge is one of the most experienced persons in the party and is a Dalit leader too, Tewari said. 


Earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Jharkhand leader KN Tripathi filed their nomination for the topmost position. Ahead of filing his nomination, Tharoor had visited Raj Ghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi today. He told reporters, "Congress President assured me that the party has no official candidate, the Gandhi family will stay neutral in this race and they welcome as many candidates as possible. In that spirit, I put forward my candidacy. It's not to disrespect anyone; a friendly contest." 



Jharkhand Congress leader KN Tripathi also filed his nomination for the party`s topmost position and said that "the decision of party leaders is respected," adding "I belong to a farmer`s family. The country is seeing that son of a farmer who has experience of serving with the Indian Air Force, minister in state government and elected as deputy leader of Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, can also contest for the post of AICC President."


Earlier, former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot were also a part of the race which they eventually stated to have dropped. The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister visited Kharge at his residence this morning. "I told him that I stand by him and can`t even think of contesting against him, I will be his proposer," Singh told reporters.


Congress MP Deepender S Hooda also said: "I welcome Mallikarjun Kharge`s nomination for Congress president post and am confident that he will get elected. Over the years, he has raised the voice of the people in Parliament. I`ve signed his nomination papers as a proposer."


Earlier on Thursday, Ashok Gehlot said he is pulling out of the contest after he met with Sonia Gandhi and apologised to her for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls. 


Nominations for the post of Congress president closed today at 3 pm. The results will be declared on October 19.


(With Agency Inputs)