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Rahul Gandhi thinks the election will be beneficial for the Congress, according to Tharoor, who is in Kerala for the election campaign. Gandhi reminded him that he had advocated for a competition for the position of party chief for the past ten years, claimed Tharoor.
Prior to making his request for everyone's support, Tharoor stated that he had never anticipated having the backing of the major party figures. The MP stated he could not betray people who had backed him up until this point and refused to withdraw from the election.
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Tharoor claimed he had met party members in Nagpur, Wardha and Hyderabad. They are the ones urging him to argue his position and not back down, he said. According to Tharorr, he told them that he would stand his ground. He claimed that the courage to go came from their faith in Tharoor.
Following K Sudhakaran, president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), publicly endorsing seasoned politician Mallikarjun Kharge for the position of party head, Tharoor made his remarks.
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On being asked whether Sudhakaran's public support for Kharge was meant to discourage others from supporting him, Tharoor said, "Maybe. But I am not saying that. I do not need to decipher what is going on in people's minds. I will say one thing, whatever one says secretly or publicly, the ballot is secret."
"No one is going to know who voted for whom. People can vote according to their wishes and beliefs. They can decide whom they want to strengthen the party and prepare it to counter the challenges it would face in the future," he said.
According to Tharoor, the KPCC chief likely voiced his personal opinion, and there was nothing wrong with that.
(With agency inputs)
