Kharge senior leader with vast experience, Congress also needs young and energetic leaders like Tharoor: Darda

While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is a senior leader with vast experience, the party also needs young, energetic and internationally reputed leaders like Shashi Tharoor who could enthuse party workers, former MP and chairman of the Lokmat Media Group Vijay Darda said on Tuesday.

Which party has internal democracy except for Congress, Darda said while noting that he himself has raised several issues with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Darda was speaking at the launch of his book 'RINGSIDE – Up, Close and Personal on India and Beyond' Asked about the Congress presidential election, he said, ''It's a good thing Congress held the election. They had a candidate like Shashi Tharoor, who has international fame... They did not support him...'' In the election for the Congress president's post in October last year, Tharoor lost to Mallikarjun Kharge, who was seen as the candidate backed by the top leadership of the party.

Kharge got 84.14 per cent votes of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates while Tharoor got 11.4 per cent votes.

Darda said, ''Kharge is a senior leader, but Congress needs Shashi Tharoor''. He added that he was not comparing the two leaders and stressed, ''We need to attract youth.

''I didn't say Tharoor is better than Kharge. Kharge is a very senior leader. But seniors should be giving blessings,'' he said.

''He (Kharge) has won as an MP nine times, why was he not made the chief minister (of Karnataka)?'' Darda questioned.

He also quipped, ''Which party has internal democracy except for Congress?'' ''If I am in the Congress, I have the right to speak. If I work for the party, I have the right to raise questions. If I ask a question in national interest, is it rebellion?'' he said.

He said he has written to party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi many times raising issues.

Darda, who has been a Rajya Sabha MP from Congress thrice, also wondered why so many senior leaders left the Congress.

''Why are big leaders exiting Congress? Like Ghulam Nabi Azad, he got everything, why did he leave? I am wondering, what kind of magnetic power does the BJP have?'' he said.

The book was released by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and Sanjaya Baru, who was the media advisor to former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

In his remarks, Tharoor said the political class today has become intolerant of criticism in the media.

''There has been gradual depletion in the relation between the political class and media. The political class is no longer tolerant of their criticism in the media,'' the Kerala MP said.

The book by Darda is a captivating compilation of his weekly articles which were published in the Lokmat Media Group newspapers and other prominent national and regional dailies of the country between 2011 and 2016.

As a follow-up to his earlier book "Straight Thoughts", which encompassed articles from 2004 to 2011, this latest work delves into a diverse range of subjects beyond political developments and happenings, a press release said.

The book is a reflection of contemporary political, social, cultural and other significant happenings and developments.

Those attending the book launch included BJP leaders Varun Gandhi and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, NCP's Praful Patel, BSP's Danish Ali, J-K National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and CPI's D Raja.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)