New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS): In run up to elections for the party President, top Congress leaders face a challenge as the party has asked them, especially the office-bearers to remain neutral between the two contenders - Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor - or to quit the post if they want to campaign for either.

Party media department Chairman Pawan Khera was asked not to take sides.

"I had sought leave as chairman of media & publicity department to campaign for the candidate of my choice. GS @Jairam_Ramesh did not grant me leave citing compulsions of running the deptt:

"I will have to make do with just voting for the candidate #CongressPresidentPolls", he said in a tweet.

However, three Congress spokespersons have resigned to campaign for Kharge.

Salman Soz, who is supporting Tharoor, said that party is neutral. "For those asking...Any @INCIndia leader who suggests that the Congress President or @RahulGandhi is supporting one candidate or the other is doing a disservice to the party and our election process," he said.

As the campaign picks pace, with rival candidates embarking on a canvassing trip to various states, Tharoor, who was in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, said that he is not expecting votes from most senior leaders, save Mohsina Kidwai, Saifuddin Soz, and Thampanoor Ravi (Kerala) who have pledged their support.

"I am expecting support from the ordinary voters and that's the impetus I am getting after my visit to two states and from the calls I am getting," he said.

Tharoor also expressed his displeasure in the way some top leaders taking a stand for Kharge - who is seen as the 'official' candidate.

As Congress' Kerala unit K. Sudhakaran, who was till now saying voters to cast their votes as per their rationale, on Monday, praising Kharge, Tharoor said that this was perhaps his personal view.

The Congress' Central Election Authority has issued guidelines to all the state units to extend courtesies to both candidates.

Noting both Kharge and Tharoor are contesting the election in their personal capacity, it said that delegates are free to elect any one of them, as per their choice.

"All the office-bearers are asked to resign first if they want to campaign. AICC General Secretaries/In-charges, Secretaries/Jt Secretaries, PCC Presidents, CLP Leaders, Heads of Frontal Organisations, Chiefs of Depts./Cells and all official Spokesperson shall not campaign for or against contesting candidates. If they wish to support any candidate they must first resign from their organisational post, after that they participate in the campaign process," said the guidelines.