New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday said there is a need for a “renewed and reinvigorated” party to take on the challenge of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre.

The Thiruvananthapuram Member of Parliament (MP) is currently in Hyderabad to campaign for the upcoming presidential polls of the party. He is set to face-off with Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge for the party president's post,

“This election is about how Congress should be best equipped to take on the ruling govt today, which is BJP. We have lost two elections... We need a renewed, reinvigorated Congress party where it is mobilised effectively to take on this challenge,” Tharoor said while fielding questions from media persons in Hyderabad.

The Congress leader also rejected the existence of G-23 group in the party and called it a media creation.

“There is no G-23 group. There never was, it was a media idea. As far as I can tell you, a couple of seniors wrote the letter. They invited a large number of people to support them. They told me that by phone they have contacted over a hundred people who have extended support. There was COVID lockdown in 2020. Only 23 people were available in Delhi to sign it at that time,” he said.

Let me make clear that I agree with @kharge ji that all of us in @incIndia wish to take on theBJP rather than each other. There is no ideological difference between us. The choice for our voting colleagues Oct17 is only on how to do it most effectively.#ThinkTomorrowThinkTharoor
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 3, 2022

Earlier, he said there is no ideological difference between Kharge and him and that the party is putting up a united fight against the ruling BJP.

“Let me make clear that I agree with Mallikarjun kharge ji that all of us in INC wish to take on the BJP rather than each other. There is no ideological difference between us. The choice for our voting colleagues Oct17 is only on how to do it most effectively,” Shashi Tharoor tweeted.

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It is worth mentioning here that nobody from the Gandhi family is running for the party’s top post. The GOP is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

Wonderful to be received so warmly in Hyderabad for a brief visit. The enthusiasm of ordinary karyakartas has inspired me greatly as we move forward! #ThinkTomorrowThinkTharoor pic.twitter.com/NjS8evCIjM
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 3, 2022