Ahead of counting of votes, all the ballot papers will be mixed so that no one would know how many votes the candidate got from a particular state….reports Asian Lite News
Allaying fears of being identified, the Congress Central Election Authority (CEA) Chairman on Wednesday assured the voters on the secrecy of the ballot in the October 17 party presidential poll.
While issuing standard protocol for the voting till the counting of the votes, Madhusudan Mistry said that there is no numbering on the papers and only counterfoil with detail will be kept with the Election Authority while ballot boxes will be sealed and unsealed in front of election agents. Ahead of counting of votes, all the ballot papers will be mixed so that no one would know how many votes the candidate got from a particular state.
He said that they have received a complaint that has been addressed by the CEA. In fray for the top post are Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge. Sixty-seven booths have been set up in all the states, the party’s CEA has said.
Madhusudan Mistry, Chairman of the CEA, said, “In AICC also there will be a booth, especially for all senior leaders, working committee members and all those whose identity card is from a different state but are staying in Delhi. If they write to us that they want to vote in Delhi then we will make arrangements here as well, they can also vote here in AICC.”
A camp booth will be set up for Rahul Gandhi and others who are participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.”So the process of campaigning for these candidates starts from Saturday onwards, officially, although they have already started the campaign earlier. Technically, according to the constitution, we have to provide them with a seven-day withdrawal period.
“The election will take place on October 17 in every state capital between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The voting will be held under a secret ballot. All the ballet boxes will be brought to the AICC headquarters. On October 19, the counting of votes will start and the result will be declared as soon as the counting gets over.
Kharges’s bizarre response
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is fighting the party’s presidential polls, on Wednesday did not give a direct answer to a question about whether he or Rahul Gandhi will be the party’s prime ministerial candidate in 2024 Lok Sabha polls and gave a bizarre response to describe his situation, saying, “Bakrid mein bachenge toh Muharram mein nachenge”.
“I am contesting the organisational election. There is a saying ‘Bakrid mein bachenge toh Muharram mein nachenge’. First, let these elections get over and let me become president, then we will see,” Kharge said at a press conference held at PCC office here.
Kharge was asked if he or Rahul Gandhi will be the “PM face” in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Kharge, who tendered resignation as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha to contest the party’s presidential poll, is facing contest from party MP Shashi Tharoor.
Kharge met Congress delegates and appealed to them to vote in his favour. The Congress leader also said he believes in collective leadership.
Kharge said when Gandhi family members did not agree to become president of the party in the presidential elections, he entered the fray on request of party workers and senior leaders.
He promised to implement the party’s Udaipur Declaration.
“After I am elected as the party chief, I will work to implement every point of the Udaipur Declaration.”
“The decisions were taken only four months ago. The decisions taken in chintan shivir were decided after contemplation. I believe in collective leadership. I will take decisions together with everyone,” he said.
He said the Congress will fight for people’s rights and added that he was in the fray against Shashi Tharoor only till the organisational elections, “but there is no difference between us”.
“Both of us will fight together against BJP,” he said.
Kharge said the Congress came to power in six states under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and accused the BJP of destabalising party-led governments and “stealing MLAs”.
“On one hand, they say Congress does not have a mass base and they buy MLAs of the elected government of Congress,” he alleged.
Kharge, 80, said thinking and ideology is needed in the party’s organisational contest and age is not a factor.
On Tuesday, the veteran leader had clarified that his name was not suggested by the part’s interim chief Sonia Gandhi.
“Sonia Gandhi suggesting my name for the president position is all a rumour, I have never said this. She has clearly stated that anyone from the Gandhi family will neither be a part of the election nor support any candidate,” Kharge had said. (IANS/ANI)
