Mallikarjun Kharge is new AICC president

New Delhi, Oct 19(BPNS)

Octogenarian Dalit leader of the Congress party from Karnataka, Mallikarjun Kharge will be the next President of the Congress party. He defeated Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP from Thiruvananthapuram constituency in a one sided fight.

While Kharge polled 7897 of the total 9385 votes polled, Tharoor sprang a surprise by getting 1072 votes.

It may be noted that this is the first time after two decades ,that an AICC president is coming from outside the Gandhi family . Veteran leader Sitaram Kesari was the last non -Gandhi to head the Congress party.

Sources in the AICC told Bharathpost.news that Kharge will assume office after Deepavali at the AICC headquarters in presence of senior leaders of the Congress party. Shashi Tharoor in a tweet said, ” It is a great honour and responsibility to be President of @INCIndia and I wish @Kharge ji all success in that task. It was a privilege to receive the support of over a thousand colleagues &to carry the hopes&aspirations of so many well wishers of Congress across India.””

Youth Congress workers celebrated outside the AICC headquarters on the victory of Mallikarjun Kharge as the AICC president.

Congress leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh in a congratulatory tweet said” Shri. Kharge’s victory in the Congress presidential election is a triumph for the forces who place ideological commitment over personal glory.””

He adds, ” Kharge has always avoided flamboyance and has been the quintessential organisational man working in a self effacing manner to advance the collective interests of the Congress party. He has the good wishes of all Congressmen and Congresswomen.””

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