Kerala Unit of India's Congress Snubs Shashi Tharoor for Party's Presidential Polls

Polls to elect a new chief of India's main opposition party are scheduled to take place on October 17. As per reports, there are three main contenders for the post - Rajasthan state chief Ashok Gehlot, former Madhya Pradesh state chief Digvijaya Singh, and parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor.

The date to file nominations for the election of a new Congress president may be around the corner, but parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, who is reportedly set to contest the polls, isn't finding any support from Congress members in his home state of Kerala.

Tharoor is a member of parliament (MP) from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. He has been a Congress MP since 2009.

Despite his long association with the party and the state, members of Congress' Kerala unit have publicly stated their desire to see Rahul Gandhi's comeback as party chief.

Moreover, Kodikunnil Suresh, the president of Congress in Kerala, has urged Tharoor not to contest these party elections.

"Shashi Tharoor should not contest. He is an international man. There should be a consensus candidate. We are still requesting Rahul Gandhi to become Congress president," Suresh told reporters on Thursday, referring to Tharoor's stint as the UN under-secretary before he became a Congress MP.

Another parliamentarian from the Chalakudy constituency of Kerala, Benny Behanan, reckons Tharoor will withdraw his candidature from the race.

"I don't think Shashi Tharoor will contest, and he will follow the decision of the party high command," he added.

The comments of Congress' Kerala politicians came on a day when party veteran Digvijya Singh reportedly threw his hat in the ring.

The election for Congress president will take place in mid-October and the results will be out after two days. Nominations for the post can be filed from September 24-30.