Mallikarjun Kharge elected as new Congress chief

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge  on Wednesday elected as the new party chief. He defeated former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor. Announcing the results in New Delhi, Chairman of the party's  Central Election Authority, Madhusudan Mistry said, Kharge scored 7,897 votes while Shashi Tharoor got 1,072 and 416 votes were rejected. The polling for election of new Congress president was held two days back.  Kharge will be the first Congress President in 24 years who does not belong to the Nehru-Gandhi family. The decision of the party delegates is final and I accept it humbly. It is a privilege to be a member of a party that allows its workers to choose their president," Tharoor said.

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

Madhusudan Mistry, Congress central election authority chairman said at a press conference. Kharge will be the first non-Gandhi president in 24 years. Over 9,500 delegates cast their votes in the presidential election which took place at the culmination of the party's organisational polls.The elected president will take charge after Diwali in the presence of senior leaders in a programme at the Congress headquarters.