Congress president elections: all eyes now on October 19 as voting ends | Tharoor vs Kharge

Ballots were cast for the first time in 22 years as Congress leaders voted to elect a party president.

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor are the two candidates for the top post.

About 9,500 Pradesh Congress Committee delegates out of the total around 9,900 cast their votes in the Congress presidential polls, the party's central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said on Monday.

The overall voter turnout was about 96 per cent and in small states, it was nearly 100 per cent, he said at a press conference after voting ended.

Kharge is considered the favourite for his perceived proximity to the Gandhis and backing by senior leaders, even as Tharoor has pitched himself as the candidate of change.

Also watch: Tharoor vs Kharge: how the next Congress president will be elected

Whoever wins, it will be the first time in 24 years that a non-Gandhi will be at the helm of the party.

The counting for the votes will be done on October 19