Veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge has been elected the new chief of the Congress party. He is the first non-Gandhi chief of the Congress in more than 20 years.
Mr Kharge, widely seen to be the "Gandhi-approved" candidate, won 90 per cent of the votes cast on Monday. He scored 7,897 votes while Shashi Tharoor finished with 1,072.
The election comes three years after Sonia Gandhi agreed to temporarily lead the party when Rahul Gandhi stepped down, taking responsibility for the two consecutive routs of the party in 2014 and 2019 general elections.
Here are the Highlights on Congress Presidential Elections Poll
Mallikarjun Kharge, the first non-Gandhi president of the Congress in over 20 years, said today that he would "try my best to stand my ground". Speaking to reporters after the declaration of results, Mr Kharge also said he would work together with Shashi Tharoor, who was his opponent in the party's internal elections held on Monday. "We have to work as karyakartas. We have to fight fascist forces which are attacking democratic institutions," he said.
"My best wishes to Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji for his new responsibility as President of @INCIndia. May he have a fruitful tenure ahead," tweeted PM Modi.
Mallikarjun Kharge's first instinct after being declared the next Congress president was to visit Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath home. He requested an appointment but did not get one. Sources say after some discussions, Sonia Gandhi decided that given the occasion, it really should be the other way round. So, from 10 Janpath, the meeting shifted to 10 Rajaji Marg, Mr Kharge's home. Read here
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who lost the Congress presidential election, praised the winning candidate, Mallikarjun Kharge, saying he felt that the revival of the party "has truly begun today". He said the new party President is a colleague and senior "who brings ample leadership and experience to the table".
Shashi Tharoor will be ridiculed and shamed for taking on Gandhis, tweets BJP's Amit Malviya
Shashi Tharoor is whining like a sore loser. Did he actually expect elections in Congress to be free and fair? He should be grateful that he wasn't locked up in bathroom...The worst is still to come. In the next few months he will be ridiculed and shamed for taking on the Gandhis.
- Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 19, 2022
I called on Shri @kharge the newly elected President of the @INCIndia to offer my felicitations along with @ShashiTharoor pic.twitter.com/j8s8C4OFQC
- Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) October 19, 2022
"It is a win for democracy": Rajasthan Congress MLA Sachin Pilot on the #CongressPresidentElections pic.twitter.com/8omdV8bSAn
- NDTV (@ndtv) October 19, 2022
"Privilege To Receive Support Of Over Thousand Colleagues": Shashi TharoorCommending Mallikarjun Kharge for his win, Shashi Tharoor said he would like to convey his warm congratulations to him for his victory in Congress poll
New Congress President - Mallikarjun Kharge: 7897, Shashi Tharoor: 1072Mallikarjun Kharge is set to be the new Congress president after a landslide win in the party's first election in more than 20 years.
"It is a landmark win": Mallikarjun Kharge supporters after he is elected as the new Congress president pic.twitter.com/o3zY0DhEJH
- NDTV (@ndtv) October 19, 2022
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
- Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 19, 2022
"I am happy that the Congress has had a free and transparent election. We are the only party to have such a framework. Why is there no elections in other parties?": Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/sfuURCzWe7
- NDTV (@ndtv) October 19, 2022
"We've been in constant communication with Madhusudan Mistry's office, informed them about many different issues, cannot get into its specifics right now": Salman Soz, election agent of Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor | reported by news agency ANI pic.twitter.com/nN4DQ5Ijjc
- NDTV (@ndtv) October 19, 2022
Congress President Polls : Congress President election: Team Shashi Tharoor alleges irregularities, writes to party's poll bodyShashi Tharoor today alleged "irregularities" as votes were counting two days after the Congress held a milestone election, the first in over 20 years, and one in which no Gandhi was in the race.
