New Delhi, 20/9: Shashi Tharoor is gearing up to fight for the Congress president post after party chief Sonia Gandhi welcomed “a contest” during a meeting with him, setting stage for a high voltage contest in which Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is speculated to be his potential opponent.
Sonia is learnt to have earlier urged Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to lead the party but he appears to be reluctant as he wants to retain control of the state and does not want to leave space for his bete noir Sachin Pilot.
The central leadership appears to be in no mood to accede to such a demand and if there is a stalemate, they will have to look at options like Mukul Wasnik even as Gehlot is insisting that Rahul should be the party chief.