SHIMLA: Veteran Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka and an avid supporter of "Gandhi family", Mallikarjun Kharge has been elected as new Congress President of Indian National Congress today.
He defeated his only rival candidate Dr Shashi Tharoor, an MP and a writer of fame and fortune, who has best selling books to his kitty, in the party election conducted on October 17 the results for which were declared today in AICC Headquaters in New Delhi by the party election commissioner Madhusudan Mistry.
Declaring the polls results at AICC headquaters in New Delhi today, Mistry said as many as 9385 votes were polled. Out of this Kharge secured 7897 votes while Dr Tharoor got 1072 votes.
Mistry said as many as 416 votes were declared invalid. He congratulated Kharge for being elected as Party president.
Commenting on the party election, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who was leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Andhra Pradesh told media conference that he congratulated Kharge for being elected as Congress President. His experience and understanding would benefit the party, he added.
Gandhi said the Congress is the only party in India which has internal democracy and conduct elections to elect its president.
Not other parties including the BJP conduct pols to elect its president and they are all dictatorships, he charged.
As soon as election results were declared Dr Shashi Tharoor hugged Kharge congratulating him. Kharge at 80 is a seasoned leader who rose from lowest rung of society to the top position.
Himachal Pradesh Congress President Pratibha Singh has congratulated Kharge for his new role as party president. The party will come to power in Himachal under his leadership, she claimed.
Chairperson of Himachal Congress Vichar Vibhag Vijaypal Singh said Kkarge is an inspiration for all Congress workers. He experienced and lived atrocities against downtrodden since his childhood.
Kharge saw, as a child, his mother was burnt in front of his eyes in remote Karnataka village, he said. He was saved by his father who fled the village and spent nights in the forest.
Kharge was a union minister in Dr Manmohan Singh government. He hold many posts in the past.