'Nobody is big or small in party...': Congress President-elect Kharge to take over reins on Oct 26

Mallikarjun Kharge was on Wednesday elected the Congress president after defeating Shashi Tharoor in an electoral contest, the sixth in the party’s 137-year-old history. Sonia Gandhi, the outgoing president of the Congress, visited Kharge at his home in Delhi and offered her congratulations.

The party workers went to the polls on October 17 with around 9,900 delegates voting to choose the first non-Gandhi president in more than 24 years. Shashi Tharoor, a former diplomat turned politician, lost to him.

Congress President-elect Mallikarjun Kharge will take charge on October 26, said party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

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Mallikarjun Kharge claimed victory and became the next Congress president. Addressing the media, Kharge said, "Congress had strengthened the democracy of this country since Independence. Today when every institution is being dismantled, Democracy is in danger, the Congress, by holding a countrywide election, has worked towards strengthening the democracy."

He further said, "We all have to work like workers of the party, nobody is big or small in the party. We have to unitedly fight against the fascist forces that are attacking the democratic institutions under the garb of communalism."

In addition, he congratulated Shashi Tharoor, his rival in the race for party president. "I also want to congratulate Shashi Tharoor, who is my partner. I spoke with him about moving the party forward. In the name of the whole party staff, I would like to thank Sonia Gandhi. We twice built our center-based government under her direction," President-elect of the Congress  stated.

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'Strengthening Congress is vey important for the country...' Shashi Tharoor

Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor also addressed media and said, "I went to Mallikarjun Kharge residence and congratulated him on his victory. He is a senior leader and will always guide the party. I'm extremely happy as over 1000 delegates voted for me. Our workers are the real pride of our party."

Tharoor further said that they should consider Kharge's victory as the victory of the Congress party. "This election was never about a person but always about the party. I always wanted to strengthen the party because strengthening Congress is very important for the country," he added.

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Speaking about the elections, he said, "Our party didn't hold polls for 22 years. In election of this nature, there were bound to be glitches. Leadership by and large stayed with Kharge, it's not surprising if you've choice between change and continuity and if you're part of continuity why'd you want change."

Shashi Tharoor posted a photo of himself with Mallikarjun Kharge, the new leader of the Congress, on Twitter. He claimed to have contacted "our new President-elect Mallikarjun Kharge" to congratulate him and pledge his complete support.

• Congress
• Mallikarjun Kharge
• Shashi Tharoor
• Congress President
• Sonia Gandhi