Fight to protect Constitution, democracy begins today: Kharge
He also urged the people to come out and exercise their franchise in large numbers.
Senior Congress leader and leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, has openly declared his support to Mallikarjun Kharge in the Congress presidential election scheduled for October 17.
Speaking to media persons in Kochi on Saturday, Satheesan said he has decided to back Mallikarjun Kharge as his candidature was finalised by the party’s senior leadership after detailed discussions.
“The senior leaders decided to back Kharge after holding detailed discussions. Hence, I also decided to support him. I will work for the victory of Kharge,” declared Satheesan.
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Hailing Kharge as an experienced leader, Satheesan said his entry as Congress president will be a proud moment.
“I am waiting for the proud moment of one belonging to the dalit community becoming the Congress president. He had won the general elections nine times and served as union minister and state minister,” he said.
Stating his age is not a bar for taking up the president post, Satheesan said elderly people can’t be sent away. “We have to make use of their experience,” he added
He said the election to the post of party president shows the internal democracy in congress, it reflected the beauty of democracy. “Does such an election ever take place in CPI-M or BJP?”, he asked.
“Whoever is eligible, Congress allowed them to contest the presidential poll. That’s the speciality of a democratic party,” he said.
He said some leaders’ decision to back Sasi Tharoor in the Congress president election will not cause any rift in the party in Kerala.
Meanwhile, Congress Kerala chief K Sudhakaran said the KPCC would not give any direction to the voters who are in the electoral roll for the AICC President election. They can vote according to their own personal conscience, Sudhakaran said.
There will be a direct contest between Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor for the post of Congress president with papers of the third candidate KN Tripathi, former Jharkhandminister, rejected on Saturday following scrutiny.
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