Sivaganga Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram, who backed Shashi Tharoor in the AICC presidential election, on Monday claimed that the poll result will be a pleasant surprise.

Hailing the party's decision to hold the election, he said the move added strength and vibrancy to the Congress and whoever wins would be able to take the party forward.

"But my support is for Shashi Tharoor who I believe will be able to attract people outside the political firmament towards the Congress because he has got a huge following outside politics and that section of society will start noticing what the Congress does if he becomes the president," Karti Chidambaram said after casting his vote at Sathyamurthy Bhavan, the party's state headquarters here.

He posted photos on his twitter site garnering support to Tharoor and later casting his vote.

"659 \ 711 PCC delegates of @INCTamilNadu voted in Chennai. I am pleased with the conduct of the polling. I would like to thank everyone who heeded our appeal & voted for Dr @ShashiTharoor MP. I believe we have polled well, the count will be a pleasant surprise! @INCIndia." he tweeted after casting his vote.

Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are in the fray, as the grand old party is all set to have a non-Gandhi president in over 24 years. The results of the election will be out on October 19.