Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, 23 September, confirmed that he will be contesting the upcoming Congress presidential election.
"It's decided that will contest (for the post of Congress president). I will fix the date soon (to file nomination papers). There is a need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country," Gehlot said while speaking to the press.
He also said that no member of the Gandhi family will be filing their nomination for the polls.
"I requested him (Rahul Gandhi) multiple times to accept everyone's wish that he returns as Congress president. He made it clear that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next chief," Gehlot said.
"Rahul ji told me ‘I know they want me to be chief and I respect their wishes but I have decided, for a reason, that a non-Gandhi should be Congress president," he added.
'Sonia Gandhi, Ajay Maken to Decide on Further Proceedings'
Amid speculation that Gehlot will have to step down from the post of Rajasthan CM if he were to become the Congress chief, he said that the party's general secretary Ajay Maken and current president Sonia Gandhi will decide on further proceedings.
Gehlot's confirmation comes two days after he said that he would abide by the Congress' wishes and file his nomination for the election if the party asked him to.
"The party and high command have given me everything. I have been on posts for 40-50 years. For me no post is important, I will fulfil any responsibility given to me by the party," he had said, as per news agency PTI.
Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor will also be contesting the polls after he reportedly got the go-ahead from Sonia Gandhi.
Tharoor met party president Sonia Gandhi on Monday, who said that she would “stay neutral” in the upcoming presidential elections.
The last day to file nominations is 30 September and the election is scheduled to be held on 17 October.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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