Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday conceded the defeat in the Congress presidential election to Mallikarjun Kharge. Kharge received 7,897 votes, Tharoor received roughly 1,000, and 416 votes were disqualified. Kharge won the poll and the Kerala MP received 1,072 votes, according to Karti Chidambaram, a counting agent for Tharoor, who made the announcement after the results were in.
“Total counted votes were 9,385, of which Mallikarjun Kharge received 7,897 votes and Shashi Tharoor received 1,072 votes. Invalid votes- 416… I hereby declare Mallikarjun Kharge as the elected president of Congress,” Madhusudan Mistry, Congress central election authority chairman said at a press conference.
Kharge will be the first non-Gandhi president in 24 years.
“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,” Tharoor tweeted.
“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.
“Our new president is a party colleague and senior who brings ample leadership and experience to the table. Under his guidance, I am confident that we can all collectively take the party to new heights,” Tharoor added.
The party owes the outgoing president Sonia Gandhi a “irredeemable debt” for her quarter-century of party leadership and for serving as the compass in our most crucial times, according to Tharoor.
“Her decision to authorise this election process, which has given us new pathways to the future, is undoubtedly a fitting testament to her sagacity and vision for our party. I hope she continues to guide, motivate and inspire the party’s new leadership team in overcoming the challenges ahead,” Tharoor said.
Additionally, he congratulated Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former president Rahul Gandhi for doing their part to encourage fair elections.
According to him, the Nehru-Gandhi family “has held, and will always hold, a special place in the hearts of Congress party members”—and for good cause.
At the conclusion of the party’s organisational elections, more than 9,500 delegates participated in the presidential vote.
After Diwali, in a ceremony at the Congress headquarters with the participation of prominent officials, the newly elected president will assume office.
“It is a privilege and honour for a grassroot worker to be elected as the Congress President. I humbly accept this responsibility on behalf of crores of Congress workers,” Kharge tweeted.
PM Modi wishes Mallikarjun Kharge ‘fruitful tenure’ as Congress President
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended Mallikarjun Kharge his best wishes for his new role as the Congress president, hours after Kharge easily defeated Shashi Tharoor in the race for the party’s presidency.
“My best wishes to Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji for his new responsibility as President of @INCIndia. May he have a fruitful tenure ahead. @kharge,” Modi tweeted.
Kharge’s appointment as Congress Party president
After being chosen as the new leader of the Congress party on Wednesday, Mallikarjun Kharge must now decide whether or not to make any significant changes.
The 80-year-old leader, who had the Gandhi family’s support, was perceived and accepted as the unspoken “official” candidate in these presidential elections. Although the outcome was as expected, Kharge undoubtedly brings a plethora of expertise to the table in both electoral and organisational politics.
Tharoor, during his campaign, had stressed upon the ‘new’ and ‘transformational’ nature of his potential presidency, but Kharge didn’t make any such promises. The seasoned leader, unlike Tharoor, did not also publish a manifesto. Speaking to the media shortly after learning of his election victory, Kharge stated he was looking forward to assuming the presidency but will reveal his specific strategy on October 26. Here are a few changes that Kharge will likely implement in the upcoming months.
Kharge’s team to have Younger faces, Working Presidents in Few States and inclusion of SC and OBC unit of the party
Throughout all of his campaign interviews, Kharge repeatedly stated that if elected president, the Congress’ Udaipur proclamation will be put into effect. According to The Quint, organisational changes that reflect this are expected to occur very soon. Among other promises, these include one man, one post, giving younger people more leadership opportunities, and one family, one ticket.
But according to sources, Kharge is most likely to fulfil his pledge to promote young people into key leadership positions first.
Interestingly, the leader can begin by reorganising his own staff by adding more youthful individuals, such as party employees connected to the Youth Congress. This will also help him respond to charges that he is too old and a member of the party’s “old guard” to actually enact any significant changes.
Also to be determined is whether Kharge would accept Shashi Tharoor, his primary opponent in the presidential race, in a key position.
However, the top office-holders are expected to remain the same as Sonia Gandhi’s selections, and it is unlikely that there will be any significant changes in those roles, according to an another source. It would be fascinating to see if KC Venugopal, who is thought to be close to Rahul Gandhi, keeps his critical post as general secretary (Organisation).
Jairam Ramesh was appointed general secretary (communications) in lieu of Randeep Surjewala, who was instructed to focus on his one position as head of the Karnataka Congress, as part of the party’s most recent organisational makeover. But Kharge is likely to bring about one significant change: there will be fewer working presidents, and in certain states, none at all.
Active Effort To Strengthen The Opposition
Attempting to forge any type of consensus between diverse opposition groups has been one of Rahul Gandhi’s pet undertakings for almost two years. He had met 14 opposition party leaders as part of this in August 2021 over a lavish breakfast hosted at Delhi’s Constitution Club.
According to The Quint report, Kharge’s extensive background in understanding ground politics would be used to ensure that these efforts to forge some semblance of an opposition unity are successful.
Due to his experience, Kharge will make it simpler to connect with and establish trusting connections with the leaders of other opposition groups. The majority of opposition groups, such as the TMC, the NCP, and the Shiv Sena, would not be enthusiastic about the Congress playing the central role in this ostensibly united opposition, thus it will be a difficult challenge. It is unclear how Kharge will overcome these obstacles.
This report was made with the inputs from The Quint and various news agencies
The Chenab Times News Desk