Shashi Tharoor releases election manifesto, pitches for limiting state chiefs’ term
Shashi Tharoor is in a contest with party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge for Congress president post.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday released his manifesto for the upcoming election for party president, favouring limiting the term of office for state chiefs. He called for Congress to be revived and re-energised to take on the BJP in the 2024 general elections.
Dismissing rumours that he may opt out of the presidential race, the Lok Sabha member said that he was very much in the fray and has been receiving support from various quarters.
"My message is to revive the party, re-energise it, empower workers, decentralise authority and be in touch with the people. This, I believe, will make Congress politically fit to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP in the 2024 general election," Tharoor said during his interaction on Thursday with media persons at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, the Congress state headquarters.
Tharoor said, "He has respect and great regard for party veteran Mallikarjun Kharge. The contest was friendly based on different approaches to face the BJP and not ideological, as both hailed from the same party."
"We need to reform the way our party functions. We need to bring young people to the party and give them real authority. At the same time, we should give greater respect to hardworking and long-serving karyakartas," he said, releasing his poll manifesto.
"We need to reiterate the core convictions of the Congress. We are the party of inclusive India, a party that believes in equal rights and is against oppression. This is the idea we stood and fought for and we must reiterate it," he said.
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ELECTION MANIFESTO
Shashi Tharoor promised to revive certain institutions like the parliamentary board, decentralise power, and strengthen the party at the booth level. Utilising general secretaries for nation-building activities while dispensing their services as state in-charges, and trusting state chiefs by giving them a free hand in decision-making are also among the top points highlighted in the manifesto.
(With inputs from PTI)