Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor got the green signal from party interim chief Sonia Gandhi to contest party president elections to be held on October 17, reports ndtv.com.

Tharoor had earlier dropped hints at running for post.

Considered a vocal leader and a member of the G-23 leaders, Tharoor on Monday endorsed a petition by a group of young party members seeking "constructive reforms" and met AICC chief Sonia.

The petition shared by Tharoor on Twitter sought reforms and a pledge by AICC president candidates to implement the Udaipur Declaration in entirety, if elected. The former Union minister said it had been signed by over 650 people so far.

"I welcome this petition that is being circulated by a group of young @INCIndia members, seeking constructive reforms in the Party. It has gathered over 650 signatures so far. I am happy to endorse it & to go beyond it," Tharoor tweeted with screenshots of the petition.

Shortly after endorsing the petition, Tharoor met Sonia at her residence.

Meanwhile, the 'Make Rahul Gandhi AICC president again' chorus is growing louder in the Congress with half a dozen state units so far seeking his elevation to the top post, even as uncertainty and suspense persisted over whether he would take on the mantle.

After Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat units of the Congress urged that Gandhi be made the party chief, the Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Bihar units also passed resolutions on Monday.

This comes days after the party said the Pradesh Congress Committee delegates would pass resolutions authorising the incoming Congress president to appoint state chiefs and AICC delegates.

Along with the resolution on appointing state chiefs and AICC delegates, the state units are, one after another, also passing resolutions seeking Gandhi's elevation to the top post.

It started with Congress units in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the only two states where the party is in government on its own. Also, the Gujarat Congress on Sunday demanded that Rahul Gandhi be made the party's national president.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee on Monday adopted a unanimous resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to lead the party "for the victory of secular, democratic forces" in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

At the party's state general council meeting held in Chennai, a resolution proposed by TNCC President K S Alagiri, seeking Rahul Gandhi to assume the office of All India Congress Committee (AICC) President was passed unanimously.

Bihar Congress and Maharashtra Congress also passed such resolutions.