Shashi Tharoor may run for Indian Congress president: Reports

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Indian parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor may run for president of the Congress party.

Local media reports are rife with speculation following an editorial the Congress MP wrote in the Malayalam language newspaper Mathrumbhumi. The article, titled 'We need an effective Congress to challenge BJP', talks about the direction, in Tharoor's opinion, that the party should take in the future.

The party has announced that elections will be held and a new president will be elected by October 19.

'Many see the party in crisis', he writes, referring to the aftermath of the exit of senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

'While the party as a whole is in need of renewal, the most urgent leadership position that needs to be filled is naturally that of the Congress President,' he adds.

He goes onto define the characteristics the person who fills the role should embody.

Local media outlets speculate that the article points to Tharoor vying for the Congress presidency himself.

In a video posted by ANI on Tuesday, when asked whether he plans to contest, Tharoor said, "I've no comment to make. I accept what I've written in my article which is that an election would be a good thing for Congress party."

The Gandhi family are expected to nominate Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, as they have taken themselves out of the running.