Tharoor not ready to rule out contesting AICC prez election

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor is not ready to rule out whether he is in the fray or not for the AICC president post.
"In another three weeks everything will be clear. I can give u clarity on this only then. I am not ready to comment more on this now," he said.
"I will not say whether I am contesting or not. I will say that election is always good in a democratic party," he said.
Tharoor also said already the Gandhi family has made it clear that none from their family will be in the fray. Hence it is good to have a president from outside the family, he added.
There are speculations that Tharoor might be in the fray if none from the Gandhi family is contesting, and the Gandhi family is fielding Ashok Gehlot.
A recent article written by Shashi Tharoor in a vernacular daily, he had said that "there should be a free and fair election in the party." He also had suggested that instead of nominations, the Congress Working Committee members should also be selected through elections.
He had said that electing a fresh president is a start towards rejuvenating the party, which it needs badly. "Elections will be good for the Congress, that’s what I have to say now," he said.
AICC leader Jairam Ramesh who was in the city as part of the campaign for the Bharat Jodo Yatra by Rahul Gandhi, said that the AICC election schedule has been fixed and anyone can contest the elections in the party.
"On October 17, we will have a new president for the party. Whoever wants to contest can contest in the election. It is a democratic party," said Jairam Ramesh.