Despite Shashi Tharoor not being the preferred candidate of many, bonhomie was clearly palpable at the Congress headquaters here with leaders catching up with each other while queuing up to cast their votes in the party presidential poll.
Of the 310 eligible voters, around 250 had exercised their franchise after three hours. As expected, Tharoor was the cynosure of all eyes when he walked into the State party headquarters sporting a 'tilak' after making a quick visit to the famed Pazhavangadi Ganapathy Temple, Tiruvananthapuram.
Meanwhile, expressing his displeasure at Tharoor's candidature, known aide of the Gandhi family Kodikunnil Suresh said the Thiruvananthapuram MP should have withdrawn from the contest. There is no scope for rivalry as once the elections are over, the party will be united, he hastened to add.
But Tharoor found beaming as the huge media contingent got around him, so did all the veterans, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and many others, though many of them have taken a stand against Tharoor.
"Once the polls get over, all will be one and united and working for the party. I am getting very good feedback from my agents on how things are progressing," said Tharoor.
Veteran leader and former Defence Minister A.K.Antony, who is soon going to turn 82, was seen slowly walking towards his contemporaries and junior colleagues waiting for him.
"Hey, you Mullapally " was his first reaction seeing the former Union Minister and State Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran.
After exchanging pleasantries with one of his former closest aides Oomen Chandy, they decided to go to the polling booth inside the party headquarters.
Another person who got the maximum media attention was Kozhikode Lok Sabha member M.K.Raghavan as he was one of the top leaders who had signed the nomination form of Tharoor.
"Tharoor is very good enough to lead the Congress party and he has got good support also," said Raghavan.
Incidentally, all the seasoned veterans, including Antony, Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan have openly supported the candidature of Malikarjuna Kharge - the "official" candidate of the AICC.
P.T Ajayamohan, son of former legislator P.T. Mohanakrishnan, was the first KPCC office bearer to cast his vote, while party general secretary K.A. Thulasi whose leg was in a cast, was wheeled inside in a wheel-chair accompanied by her husband, V K Sreekandan, Palakkad MP.
"The voting would conclude at 4 p.m. There are two polling booths. The two sealed ballot boxes would be taken to New Delhi on Monday itself", said AICC office bearer G. Parameswara.
(With inputs from IANS)
