New Delhi, October 12
The Congress election authority on Wednesday said it had done everything possible to ensure a level-playing field in the October 17 party presidential election and all voters were free to elect any candidate through a secret ballot.
Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are locked in a contest for the election to the party president’s post.
Congress election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said ballots would be secret and “political workers should not be afraid while casting their vote”.
“I am surprised that political workers are feeling afraid,” said Mistry when asked about some Pradesh Congress Committee delegates claiming that they had got feelers to back a certain candidate in the poll.
About 9,300 delegates comprise the electoral college for the Congress president’s election.
“There is no official candidate. How many times should I repeat that? We have made all arrangements to ensure a level-playing field. The election authority will ensure a free and fair poll. Delegates have to cast a secret ballot. No one will come to know who voted for whom or how many votes were cast in a particular state,” added Mistry.
