Mallikarjun Kharge is the new Congress President

Last updated on October 20th, 2022 at 10:58 am

Quite predicatbly, Mallikarjun Kharge has been elected president of the Congress party, bagging 7,897 votes (84.14 per cent) as against his opponent and Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor who won 1,072 votes (11.42 per cent).

Hilariously, after the results were announced, when senior leader Rahul Gandhi was asked about his new role would now be in the Congress party, he said, “…my role, of course I cannot comment on Congress president’s role… that is for Mr. Kharge to comment on. I am very clear as far as my role is concerned. The Congress president will decide my role and how I am to be deployed”.

With this, Kharge has become the first non – Gandhi to hold the top most post in the party in 24 years. There are a series of challenges ahead of the new Congress party President, the biggest challenge before Kharge is to transform the party towards gaining connection with the people and start winning elections again. Another tricky task for Mr. Kharge is of asserting his independence so that he is not taken as a proxy of the Gandhis.

Shashi Tharoor has alleged “extremely serious irregularities” in the election process. Salman Soz who is representing Mr. Tharoor’s team, later said they had been “assured of a fair inquiry” and had agreed that counting should continue.

Shashi Tharoor, though lost the elections has made his heavy mark by winning way more votes than any losing opponent in past two Congress Presidential election. Tharoor was always the underdog but by securing over 1000 votes in the Congress presidential election, he has declared that he cannot be ignored anymore.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda congratulated Kharge hours after results were announced. “I heartily congratulate my friend and colleague of many decades, Mallikarjun @kharge, on being elected @INCIndia President. This is a proud and historic moment for the Congress and also Karnataka. May God give him the strength to take his party to new heights across India.”