Congress president election: Your 10 point guide

New Delhi, Oct 17: The president of the Congress party will be elected today with 9,200 party delegates expected to cast their votes. The battle is between senior Congress leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor.

The voting would take place in all Pradesh Congress offices and the AICC headquarters at 24 Akbar Road today. The last such election took place in 2000 in which Sonia Gandhi was pitched against Jitendra Prasada. In the election Sonia bagged 7,448 of the 7,700 votes while Prasada managed to get only 94. The remaining votes were invalid or not polled.

Here are the top ten points:

1. In its 130 year old history, the Congress has elected just 37 presidents since independence. Kharge if elected will be the second Dalit president after Jagjivan Ram
2. Over 9,200 delegates are expected to take part in the elections
3. The last such election took place in 2000 in which Sonia Gandhi was pitched against Jitendra Prasada.
4. In the election Sonia bagged 7,448 of the 7,700 votes while Prasada managed to get only 94. The remaining votes were invalid or not polled.
5. For the first time in over 20 years will the Congress have a non-Gandhi as president.
6. Madhusudan Mistry, Central Election Authority chairman of the Congress, told news agency ANI on Sunday, " between 10am to 4pm tomorrow, delegates from all states will vote at their respective polling stations with a 'tick' mark for the candidate they support. Arrangements have been made for smooth polling."
7. Rahul Gandhi will be casting his vote in Karnataka amidst the Bharat Jodo Yatra
8. Tharoor had stirred up a controversy by saying that the elections are not a level-playing field.
9. Report say that Kharge is believed to be a preferred choice for the Gandhis.
10. Kharge on Sunday said that the Gandhis have done good for this country and their advise would benefit the party.
11. Tharoor has been saying that he would bring reforms and do so he would beat conventions.