Open support for Mallikarjun Kharge from veteran leaders and Shashi Tharoor’s floundering challenge have turned the Congress presidential election on October 17 into a cakewalk for the former and stamped out the possibility of a serious contest.

Leaders like Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Kerala strongman Ramesh Chennithala, former Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja, ex-Uttar Pradesh unit chief Pramod Tewari and former Union ministers Salman Khurshid, Manish Tewari and Kantilal Bhuria have issued appeals to the delegates seeking support for Kharge.

While the incumbent office-bearers have avoided taking a public stand, these are all important leaders having the stature of representing the majority opinion in the party. These leaders explained why Kharge was a better choice, stressing his unmatched experience as he rose through the ranks over five decades from an ordinary party worker. His seniority, consensual approach and proven loyalty to the party are being cited as the main attributes.

Asked if this was not a violation of directives issued by the Congress central election authority, a senior leader told The Telegraph: “Office-bearers should not campaign but delegates can express their choice. These leaders are speaking in their personal capacity....”

Asked if Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi too can express their preferences in their personal capacity, this leader said: “Soniaji is the party president, her words will be the official endorsement. She hasn’t spoken. Rahul Gandhi doesn’t hold any post and he can express his opinion. Priyanka Gandhi is a general secretary and she too is not expected to speak. But because the family has a special influence on the party, even Rahul has avoided involving himself.”

Another leader, insisting that he was only guessing what might have happened, said: “The media anyway is discussing the family’s support to Kharge because of the presence of most senior leaders at the time of filing nomination. If any of them speaks, the election will be projected as a farce. The truth is that Kharge enjoys the support of the majority of leaders and this kind of consensus is difficult to emerge without a hint from the family. But that hint might have come because the majority of leaders have expressed their support for Kharge. If they all had rallied behind Tharoor, the family would not have objected.”

The overwhelming support to Kharge was visible in all the states with delegates and senior leaders coming to hear him in large numbers. Over the last three days, Kharge addressed packed halls in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

Tharoor’s desperation was evident in his enthusiastic response when he received a good audience for the first time, in Madhya Pradesh.

He tweeted: “Thanks Kamal Nath for the warm welcome to Madhya Pradesh by several senior office-bearers and opposition leader Gobind Singh. This was the first in seven states I have visited so far! Thanks to you personally for maintaining Congress’s strict neutrality between the candidates.” Tharoor said in another tweet: “Delighted to have a full house at the meeting with Madhya Pradesh Congress delegates & karyakartas for a more than hour-long discussion on my vision for the party. And then to have a packed room for my press conference. Gratified by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from colleagues.”