Mallikarjun Kharge is the first non-Gandhi Congress chief in 24 years

Story by IANS | Posted by Tripti Nath | Date 19-10-2022

Mallikarjun Kharge being greeted by outgoing Interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi

Octogenarian Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge swept the Congress presidential polls with a lead of 7,897 votes while his charming and suave 66 year old rival Shashi Tharoor managed to win only 1,072.

The 80 year-old veteran Karnataka politician's victory was confirmed by Madhusudan Mistry, Returning Officer, Election of Congress President, Indian National Congress, around half past two on Wednesday afternoon, A notification titled 'Declaration of Result' on Mistry's letterhead with his signature, read, " As per Article XVIII (d) of the Constitution of Indian National Congress, I hereby declare Shri Mallikarjun Kharge elected as President of Indian National Congress.'

Kharge, a Congress family loyalist has scripted history with his extraordinary victory. This is the first time in over two decades that Congress has ot a non-Gandhi President. Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Wednesday said that veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge has won the elections held to elect the party's president.

Kharge is likely to take charge next week a day after Diwali. Kharge will take place of Sonia Gandhi who had been serving as Interim president after Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the post following the party debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi took to Twitter to congratulate the veteran Congress leader. In her message in Hindi, Priyanka expressed confidence that the grassroot experience gained by Kharge during his political careeer will strengthen the ideology of the Indian National Congress. She said that the Congress, under the leadership of Kharge will continue to struggle to protect the Constitution and democracy.

"Mallikarjun Kharge wins the Congress presidential elections with 7897 votes, Shashi Tharoor got about 1000 votes. Kharge has won with eight times more votes," Pramod Tiwari said before the fornal announcenent of results.

Kharge is likely to take charge next week a day after Diwali. Kharge will take place of Sonia Gandhi who had been serving as Interim president after Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the post following the party debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Mapanna Mallijarjun Kharge was Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from February 16, 2021 to October 2022.

Electoral victories are not new to Kharge who has won elections a record ten consecutive times. Born on July 21, 1942, in Warwatti, Hyderabad State, British India (present-day Karnataka), Kharge was the leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha from 2014 to 2019.

Kharge had his early schooling in Gulbarga and graduated from the same city. He took a degree in law from the Seth Shankarlal Lahoti Law College in Gulbarga and fought many cases for labour unions in his legal career.

Shashi Tharoor, an author, a third-term Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvanathapuram and former international civil servant tweeted a congratulatory message to Kharge. He said.

It is a great honour & a huge responsibility to be President of @INCIndia &I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues,& to carry the hopes& aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India. pic.twitter.com/NistXfQGN1