Congress presidential poll: 87 pc turnout in Bengal

Kolkata: West Bengal recorded an 87 per cent turnout in the polling on Monday to elect the next All India Congress Committee president, a senior party leader said.

As many as 473 West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee delegates out of the total 543 cast their votes.

The party's state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also cast his vote as the process was conducted smoothly at Bidhan Bhawan here, he added.

Ballot boxes were sealed after the polling and flown to New Delhi.

Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor are in the fray for the top post in the party.

Counting of votes will be held on October 19.