Polling for election of the new All India Congress Committee (AICC) president on Monday witnessed massive turnout of electors in Bihar, with almost 100 per cent of delegates exercising their franchise at different booths set up at Sadaquat Ashram, the headquarter of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC).
There are two candidates in the race — Mallikarjun Khadge and Shashi Tharoor.
Of the total 594 eligible voters in Bihar, all except three cast their votes at three booths, set up at Sadaquat Ashram and one at the AICC. While 585 delegates, including AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar, voted in Patna, six others, including former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar and AICC secretary Ranjeet Ranjan, are reported to have cast their votes in Delhi, party leaders said.
The exercise was conducted peacefully in front of presence of Pradesh Returning Officer (PRO) Pradeep Tamta and his team, who returned to Delhi along with ballot boxes in the evening. A handful of party workers sat on dharna, protesting irregularities in the electoral rolls. AICC in-charge for Bihar Bhakta Charan Das was also present in the BPCC office when the polling was being conducted.
Former governor Siddheshwar Prasad, former minister Uma Pandey and delegate Gaya Mishra could not turn up owing to their poor health conditions, said party senior Harkhu Jha.
Prominent among those who exercised their franchise here were BPCC chief Madan Mohan Jha, Congress Legislature Party leader Ajit Sharma, BPCC election campaign committee chairman Akhilesh Prasad Singh, former governor Nikhil Kumar, Prem Chandra Mishra, Kishore Kumar Jha, former BPCC chief Anil Sharma, former BPCC treasurer Ajay Kumar Singh and media in-charge Rajesh Rathore.
Speaking on the occasion, Kishore Jha said Congress was the only party, which elects its president in adherence to the democratic norms, unlike other parties. “People trust the Congress as it has kept the democracy alive in its true spirit,” said Kishore Jha, adding that half a dozen leaders, who are on Bharat Jodo Yatra with Rahul Gandhi cast their votes in the mobile booths set up on the way.
