Cannot (operate) without the Gandhis; must seek guidance: Mallikarjun Kharge.

The frontrunner in the Congress leadership campaign, Mallikarjun Kharge, stated on Thursday that he might not contact the Nehru-Gandhi family on every decision. He will seek their “advice” and “suggestions,” pointing out that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi had experience leading the party.

He stated there was nothing to be ashamed of in seeking their advice because he believed in a collaborative approach rather than autonomous functioning.

During a campaign stop for the October 17 election, Kharge stated that Sonia is a “vital actor” in Congress and that the party cannot function without the Gandhis’ supervision and assistance. He was, however, hesitant to commit to holding elections to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) after 25 years, stating the spirit of compromise would guide him. He stated that the implementation of organizational reforms announced at the Chintan shiver in Udaipur is his top priority.

Meanwhile, Kharge’s opponent, Shashi Tharoor, claimed that there was no equal playing field. The Tharoor camp had already petitioned the election authority, led by Madhusudan Mistry, bringing attention to several state party presidents openly endorsing Kharge’s candidacy and pointing out anomalies in the list of PCC delegates who comprise the electoral college.

Kharge stated that as President of Congress, he would “take everyone into confidence” and implement matters on which there is agreement. “I will accept everyone’s cooperation.” It’s a different story if someone refuses to offer. My effort would be to include everyone. That is, after the presidential election in Congress. “My manifesto now is that whatever direction has already been given, we must first implement it to bring about change,” he explained.