NEW DELHI:  Shashi Tharoor, veteran leader politician and candidate for president of the Congress, said "Big Thank You" to the people on Wednesday for participating in the party's internal elections.

The congressman from Thiruvananthapuram, tweeted, "A hearty "thank you" from me to those all helped to make this historic event a benchmark in the growth of our politics as the counting in the @INCIndia presidential elections begins. The counting of votes began today at 10 am, and the Congress is prepared to elect a new party president.

It would be the first time in 24 years that the party elects a leader who is not a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family thanks to the participation of former Union Ministers Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor.

The next president will succeed Sonia Gandhi, who has been acting in that capacity since Rahul Gandhi resigned from the position in the wake of the party's disastrous showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

It's assumed that the results will be announced between 3 and 4 o'clock. Mallikarjun Kharge is considered the favorite to win the election, and the ballot boxes from the state headquarters have arrived at the location where they will be counted in the Congress office. According to sources, two agents from each side would be held back while five agents from each side will supervise the counting.

After counting, the Central Election Authority Chairman will make the announcement. At the conclusion of the party's organizational elections, more than 9,500 delegates cast their ballots for president.

Sources said, there will be two people at each of the at least seven to eight tables set up for the vote counting. It also says,  within the Congress, the elected president would assume office following Diwali in a ceremony held at the Congress headquarters in front of senior leaders.

It has not been determined whether or not the certificate will be given to the winner on Wednesday or later. 

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