Shashi Tharoor lost the Congress president election to Mallikarjun Kharge.
Shashi Tharoor may have lost the Congress president election, but for social media users, he is a winner. After the results of the polls were declared, Twitter users thanked Mr Tharoor for making Congress workers proud. The Member of Parliament (MP) from Thiruvananthapuram lost the election to Mallikarjun Kharge, who will become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. While Mr Kharge received 7,897 votes, Mr Tharoor polled 1,072 votes out of the total 9,385. After the results were announced, Mr Kharge said he would "try my best to stand my ground".
Many Twitter users congratulated Mr Tharoor for throwing his hat in the ring. Among them is former Union minister Ashwani Kumar who said Mr Tharoor is not a loser.
"For Shashi Tharoor, one may say at this hour: Only a fighter falls while fighting in the battlefield, those kids who crawl on their knees will never know what it's like. Shashi Tharoor is no loser," he said in the tweet.
Mr Tharoor responded with a folded hands emoji, thanking Mr Kumar.
The simple gesture became a hit among Twitter users. "Good fight Shashi ji. You made congress workers and Gandhis fan all proud today. Keep strengthening congress," said on user.
"He has implanted seeds of a new thought process. We will see it fructifying in coming years. All the best Mr Tharoor," said another.
Soon after the poll result was declared, Mr Tharoor called on Mr Kharge at his residence to congratulate him. He later tweeted: "Called on our new President-elect Mallikarjun Kharge to congratulate him and offer him my full cooperation. Congress has been strengthened by our contest."
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He also thanked Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for ensuring "free and neutral elections" and said that the Nehru-Gandhi family has and will always hold a special place in the hearts of Congress party members.