Shashi Tharoor gets Sonia Gandhi nod to run for Congress president

Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor on September 19, 2022 got a nod from Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to contest for the post of the party president.

Tharoor had reached out to her at a Congress meeting held earlier on September 19, stating he could strengthen internal democracy.

According to reports, Sonia Gandhi told the Thiruvananthapuram-based Congress MP that he could run for party president if he so desired and added that anyone could run for office.

Shashi Tharoor's meeting with Sonia Gandhi took place in the midst of rumours that he was running for president of Congress.

The notification for the Congress president's election will be made on September 22, while the filing of nominations will begin on September 25.

Earlier in the day, Shashi Tharoor endorsed a petition by some young Congress workers, calling on the new party president to implement the Udaipur Declaration in its entirety within the first 100 days of assuming office.

"I welcome this petition that is being circulated by a group of young @INCIndia members, seeking constructive reforms in the Party. It has gathered over 650 signatures so far. I am happy to endorse it & to go beyond it," Shashi Tharoor said in a tweet.

I welcome this petition that is being circulated by a group of young @INCIndia members, seeking constructive reforms in the Party. It has gathered over 650 signatures so far. I am happy to endorse it & to go beyond it. https://t.co/2yPViCDv0v pic.twitter.com/waGb2kdbTu

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 19, 2022

The petition calls for adherence to Gandhian ideology and organisational reforms, including the demand of 50 per cent of the leaders to be under 50 for holding electoral and party posts.