Mallikarjun Kharge to hold first press conference as Congress’s National President at 4 PM today

In a close fight between Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor, Kharge has been elected the Congress president in the presidential polls, the sixth in the party's 137-year-old history.

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New Delhi: The newly elected Congress’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge is all set to lead India's oldest national political party. The first non-Gandhian Congress president in 24 years, Kharge, has announced to do a press conference at 4-4:30 PM, hours after winning the All India Congress Committee’s Presidential Polls. This will be Mallikarjun Kharge’s first press conference as Congress’s President.  Mallikarjun Kharge was, on Wednesday, elected the Congress president after defeating Shashi Tharoor in an electoral contest, the sixth in the party's 137-year-old history.

Congress' central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry announced after counting that of the 9,385 votes polled in the Congress president poll, Kharge got 7,897 votes and Shashi Tharoor 1,072 votes, while 416 votes were declared invalid. At a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Mistry declared Kharge elected as Congress president.

Delhi | I will hold a press conference between 4-4:30pm today: Mallikarjun Kharge, after getting elected as the President of the Indian National Congress pic.twitter.com/23StOAxhF9 — ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2022

Congratulating his competitor, Shashi Tharoor said that the final verdict has been in favour of Kharge. He also conveyed his congratulations to Kharge for his victory. "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," he said.

Tharoor said the party owes an "irredeemable debt" to outgoing president Sonia Gandhi for her quarter-century of the leadership of the party and for being the anchor during the most crucial moments. "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," he said.

Tharoor also thanked former president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for doing their bit to support free and neutral elections. "The Nehru-Gandhi family has held, and will always hold, a special place in the hearts of Congress party members, and with good reason too," he said. Kharge is the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years.

(With agency inputs)