It’s Mallikarjun Kharge v Shashi Tharoor today for Congress helm

At least 9,200 Congress delegates across the country will cast their votes on Monday to elect the party’s 37th president since Independence in an election that could change the course of the Congress. Both candidates — parliamentarians Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor — covered various states in their campaigns, even as the Gandhi family members maintained distance from the entire poll process.

While Tharoor’s campaign appeared to pack a punch, many party insiders see Kharge as the possible winner, with backing by a large section of the party establishment and key “G23” leaders. The voting will take place in all Pradesh Congress offices and the AICC headquarters at 24, Akbar Road.

The last such election in 2000 was between Sonia Gandhi and Jitendra Prasada. Out of 7,700 votes, Sonia got 7,448, while Prasada got only 94. The remaining votes were either invalid or not polled. Tharoor, however, is expected to give a tougher fight to Kharge as he enjoys support from the younger section of the party