Shashi Tharoor to file nominations; Mallikarjun Kharge and Digvijaya Singh are also in the fray

New Delhi: Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Digvijaya Singh will file their nominations for the upcoming party president election on Friday, the last day of the process.

A tent has been set up in the lawns of the AICC headquarters here and party leaders can file their nomination papers between 11 am and 3 pm.

Singh met Tharoor on Thursday and the latter said they agreed that theirs is "not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest" among colleagues.

Senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge is also likely to enter the contest with the blessing of the Gandhi family. He is likely to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi soon.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced on Thursday that he will not contest the Congress presidential election as he took moral responsibility for the political crisis in the state.

Things will become clear by the evening as to who all are in the fray for the Congress president's election. The Congress will have a non-Gandhi chief after 22 years.

Polling for the post will take place on October 17 and the result will be announced on October 19.