Kannur: Vadakara MP K Muraleedharan has joined the senior Congress leaders in Kerala who have declared support for Mallikarjun Kharge in the Congress president election.
Muraleedharan, a former Congress state chief, called a press meet in Thiruvananthapuram to explain why he supports Kharge and not his Lok Sabha colleague and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
Muraleedharan said the Congress president should be someone who has rose up through party ranks from the ground level.
"Compared to Kharge, Tharoor lacks connect with the masses a little bit. It could be because of the circumstances in which he was brought up. We can't blame him for that," Muraleedharan said.
My love will be for Tharoor and vote for Kharge," he said.
He said Tharoor will have his own position in the party.
"The party needs people from all walks of life including the common man and diplomats," he said. "
He showered praises on eighty-year-old Kharge's organisational skills.
"Kharge is the one who intervenes in organisational matters in several states whenever some issues crop up.
He had also advised the party in Kerala after it suffered defeats in the last local body and assembly elections," he said.
Earlier KPCC president K Sudhakaran, opposition leader V D Satheesan and senior leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala had rallied behind Kharge who is said to be enjoying the undeclared support of the Gandhi family.
A few young leaders including KS Sabarinadhan, Hibi Eden and Mathew Kuzhalnadan have extended support to Tharoor.
No official-unofficial candidate, says Tharoor
Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor maintained that the Congress does not have an 'official' and 'unofficial' candidate in the upcoming AICC president election.
He said it was a perception created by the media. "If leaders are saying that there is indeed an official candidate, then that would be a departure from the Congress stance," Tharoor said.
"A free and fair election is what is necessary at this stage to revamp the grand old party," Tharoor added.
He also pointed out that because the votes are cast in secret, he expects a stronger support than what is apparent at the moment.
"There are many disgruntled party workers in Congress. My aim is to get their voices heard," Tharoor said.
