Mallikarjun Kharge takes charge as Congress president; Sonia ‘relieved’

Mallikarjun Kharge took charge as Congress president on Wednesday at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi. Kharge received the certificate from Congress’s central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry.

Former party president Sonia Gandhi, MP Rahul Gandhi, and the party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were present on the occasion. Rahul is on a three-day break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra from October 24 to 26.

Also read: Congress president poll win was a breeze; Kharge’s acid test begins now

First non-Gandhi president in two decades

On October 19, Kharge became the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years after defeating Shashi Tharoor by a huge margin in the race to the party’s top post. Kharge replaces senior leader Sonia Gandhi as the Congress chief.

Besides the Gandhis, all Congress Working Committee members, MPs, Pradesh Congress Committee presidents, CLP leaders, former CMs, former State presidents, and other AICC office bearers were present at the programme, reported news agency ANI. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal had sent the invitation to all the leaders.

Visit to Rajghat

On Wednesday morning, Kharge visited Rajghat in Delhi to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. He also went to Shanti Vana, Vijay Ghat, Shakti Sthal, Vir Bhoomi, and Samata Sthal memorials in the national capital before taking charge.

Watch: Mallikarjun Kharge officially takes charge as Congress president

Ahead of the event, Kharge visited the residence of former prime minister Manmohan Singh to spend some time with him. According to news agency PTI, Kharge’s security personnel and workers made last-minute arrangements in the Congress president’s office and on the AICC headquarters lawns.

Thanking Sonia Gandhi

In his first address after being elected the Congress president, Kharge thanked outgoing party chief Sonia Gandhi on behalf of the party, saying that she “sacrificed many years of her life for the grand old party”.

Also read: Kharge’s rise in Congress leaves rivals anxious, from Karnataka to UP

Kharge also congratulated Shashi Tharoor, who contested against him. “I want to congratulate my partner Shashi Tharoor as well. I met him and discussed how to take the party forward,” he said.

Sonia “relieved”

Congratulating Kharge at the oath-taking ceremony, Sonia said her party’s victory amounted to India’s victory. “I congratulate the newly elected Congress president Kharge Ji from the bottom of my heart,” she said.

Speaking about her tenure as the Congress head, Sonia said she had served the party diligently and now she was relieved. “I did my duty as Congress president to the best of my ability. I am feeling relieved, as I will be free of this responsibility,” she said.

“The respect you gave me all these years was also a big responsibility. Now, this responsibility will be on Kharge Ji,” she added.

“We shall fight”

She admitted that the Congress’s status had been deteriorating and it needed to be checked. “Kharge Ji is an experienced leader. He has reached this destiny from being a common party worker to Congress president through his hard work. He is going to be an inspiration to party workers,” she stated.

Also read: Kharge’s win makes 3 Karnataka Congressmen happy, leaves BJP worried

According to Sonia, the Congress is not merely a political party but “a movement” that has survived the test of time. “Many challenges stand in front of our party. The biggest challenge is to fight the danger being posed to democracy in this country,” she said.

“Congress has faced many big challenges and dangers in the past as well. But Congress never accepted defeat. We shall fight and become successful in the way ahead. I thank everyone for the support extended to me,” she added.