Cong presidential election: 94 pc turnout recorded in Jharkhand

RANCHI: A total of 94 per cent polling was recorded in the Congress presidential election in Jharkhand on Monday, a party official said.

Of the 319 state Congress committee delegates eligible to vote, 300 cast their ballots.

Senior AICC leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are contesting for the top post in the party.

There was 94 per cent voting, as 300 delegates voted at the party headquarters here. Some delegates, who are out of Jharkhand, also cast their votes in Delhi and Gujarat, Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan told PTI.

State Congress president Rajesh Thakur and election officer Prakash Joshi were the first who exercised their franchise.

The counting will take place on October 19 in New Delhi. The ballot box will be sent to Delhi for counting, Thakur said.

He said the delegates from blocks to state headquarters took part in the polling procedure enthusiastically.

We hope the Congress will attain a new height after getting the new party president, Thakur said.

Senior leader and former Jharkhand minister KN Tripathy had also filed the nomination paper for the party's presidential election but it was rejected.

There is a new enthusiasm among every worker of the party. Two senior leaders are in the fray. I also filed nomination but it was rejected due to some error, Tripathy said after casting his ballot.

State ministers Rameshwar Oraon, Alamgir Alam, Badal Patralekh and Banna Gupta also cast their votes.