Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Vincent H Pala, former Deputy Chief Minister Dr RC Laloo and other members voted on Monday to choose the All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief who will replace interim president Sonia Gandhi.
The voting took place at the Congress Bhavan in Shillong.
Counting of votes will take place on October 19.
Speaking to reporters, Pala informed that the state witnessed a hundred percent turnout of delegates who voted during the presidential election.
“The election was quite free and fair,” the Shillong MP said.
According to him, both – Tharoor and Kharge – were supposed to come to Shillong but they could not due to connectivity (issues).
“Nevertheless, it was quite enthusiastic as all delegates came for the presidential election and this is a sign that the party will be revived, it is a sign that people want a change and a new face and people want a new team. Let us hope the day after tomorrow, there will be the counting and we will have a full-fledged president,” he said.
The MPCC chief expressed confidence that the election of a new president will ensure that the Congress will do well in the 2024 elections.
“This election is one step ahead where we can move forward to fulfill the expectation of the people as of now India is in a very bad position in terms of economy and in terms of everything, price rise and others and they are a burden to the people so people has no alternative but I hope with Congress coming back, with Congress reviving and working quite harder than before – I hope will be able to give a good fight in the upcoming elections,” he added.
The Congress witnesses a contest between Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor and party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge in the party’s presidential polls held on .
For the first time in 24 years, no member of the Gandhi family is a candidate for the party’s top post. The last contest that the party witnessed was in November 2000, when Sonia Gandhi had defeated her rival Jitendra Prasada by a huge margin. Before that, in 1997, a triangular contest took place between Sitaram Kesri, Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot in which Kesri won.
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