IN PICS: Congress stalwarts vote in Kharge vs Tharoor battle to pick new president
The overall voter turnout in the Congress presidential polls was about 96 per cent and in small states, it was nearly 100 per cent, party's central election authority chairman said after voting ended in the Mallikarjun Kharge versus Shashi Tharoor contest.
New Delhi: About 9,500 Congress delegates on Monday (October 17, 2022) cast their votes in the party's presidential poll as senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor faced off for the post of AICC chief. The voting started at 10 AM at the AICC headquarters in the national capital and at the party's polling booths in state offices across the country and witnessed a turnout of 96 per cent.
"The overall voter turnout was about 96 per cent and in small states, it was nearly 100 per cent," Congress' central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said.
Mistry said by and large the voter turnout in all places was over 90 per cent.
"The most satisfactory thing for us was that in all states where polling booths were set up, no adverse incident was reported. This is a big achievement...Polls were held in an open process in a peaceful manner," Mistry said.
"Congress party has shown what internal democracy is and other parties that want to take a lesson from it, can do so," he added.
While Kharge is considered the favourite for his perceived proximity to the Gandhis and backing by senior leaders, Tharoor has pitched himself as the candidate for change.
About 9,500 Congress delegates voted in party's presidential poll
![About 9,500 Congress delegates voted in party's presidential poll About 9,500 Congress delegates voted in party's presidential poll](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104600-congress-presidential-election-mallikarjun-kharge-shashi-tharoor.jpg)
About 9,500 Congress delegates on Monday cast their votes in the party's presidential poll as senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor faced off for the post of AICC chief.
The voting started at 10 AM at the AICC headquarters in the national capital and at the party's polling booths in state offices across the country and witnessed a turnout of 96 per cent.
Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi during the Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters in New Delhi
![Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi during the Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters in New Delhi Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi during the Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters in New Delhi](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104599-congress-interim-president-sonia-gandhi.jpg)
Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor casts his vote for the presidential election
![Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor casts his vote for the presidential election Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor casts his vote for the presidential election](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104591-shashi-tharoor-congress-presidential-election.jpg)
AICC Presidential candidate Mallikarjun Kharge casts his vote in Bengaluru
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Priyanka Gandhi Vadra cast her vote for Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters
![Priyanka Gandhi Vadra cast her vote for Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters Priyanka Gandhi Vadra cast her vote for Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104598-priyanka-gandhi.jpg)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi casts his vote for the party's Presidential polls
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Former PM Manmohan Singh casts his vote for the Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters
![Former PM Manmohan Singh casts his vote for the Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters Former PM Manmohan Singh casts his vote for the Congress Presidential Election at AICC headquarters](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104596-manmohan-singh.jpg)
Kamal Nath casts his vote for Congress Presidential Election in Bhopal
![Kamal Nath casts his vote for Congress Presidential Election in Bhopal Kamal Nath casts his vote for Congress Presidential Election in Bhopal](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104595-kamal-nath.jpg)
Ashok Gehlot shows his inked finger after casting vote for the Congress Party's presidential election in Jaipur
![Ashok Gehlot shows his inked finger after casting vote for the Congress Party's presidential election in Jaipur Ashok Gehlot shows his inked finger after casting vote for the Congress Party's presidential election in Jaipur](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104594-ashok-gehlot-congress-presidential-election.jpg)
Congress leader P Chidambaram casts his vote for the party's Presidential elections at the party headquarters in New Delhi
![Congress leader P Chidambaram casts his vote for the party's Presidential elections at the party headquarters in New Delhi Congress leader P Chidambaram casts his vote for the party's Presidential elections at the party headquarters in New Delhi](https://english.cdn.zeenews.com/sites/default/files/2022/10/17/1104592-p-chidambaram-congress-presidential-poll.jpg)