Rajya Sabha member and long-time Gandhi family loyalist Mallikarjun Kharge emerged victorious in the Congress presidential election on Wednesday, taking the reins of a party in dire need of radical changes to improve its electoral fortunes ahead of crucial state elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Kharge, an 80-year-old leader from Karnataka, widely seen as the Gandhi family’s pick for the job, secured 84.1% or 7,897 of the 9,385 votes polled – the highest vote share for any non-Gandhi candidate. He defeated former Union minister Shashi Tharoor, who beat expectations to bag 11.4% or 1,072 votes. A total of 416 votes (4.4%) were declared invalid.
Congress president-elect Kharge will take charge on October 26 as the first non-Gandhi chief of the party in 24 years. He will replace Sonia Gandhi, who was the party’s longest-serving president.
The results cap a tumultuous process that began as an exercise to rejuvenate the grassroots network of the party but was rocked by an unprecedented rebellion in Rajasthan. Eventually, the nomination of Kharge – who only entered the fray on the last day of nomination – gave rise to speculation that despite promises of neutrality from the Gandhis, the veteran leader was the de-facto establishment candidate and the election was a squandered opportunity to usher in structural change.
In his first message after the election results, Kharge said that by holding organisational elections, the Congress showed the country how its internal democracy remained strong. “No one is small or big and we have to all work like karyakartas (workers) to strengthen the organization… we have to together fight the threat to democracy and the Constitution,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}In his first message after the election results, Kharge said that by holding organisational elections, the Congress showed the country how its internal democracy remained strong. “No one is small or big and we have to all work like karyakartas (workers) to strengthen the organization… we have to together fight the threat to democracy and the Constitution,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Tharoor, who began the day citing irregularities in the counting process, quoted French philosopher Michel Foucault and poet Rumi to praise Kharge. “The revival of our party has truly begun today,” he said.
Wishes poured in from all quarters within and outside the Congress for Kharge, who began his political life in Gulbarga as a student union leader and is the party’s second Dalit chief after Jagjivan Ram in 1970-71.
“My best wishes to Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji for his new responsibility as president of @INCIndia. May he have a fruitful tenure ahead,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
“My heartiest congratulations to Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji on his election as the INC India president. I wish him the very best in his journey,” Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren said in a tweet.
Hours after the result was announced, Sonia Gandhi went to Kharge’s bungalow at Rajaji Marg to congratulate him. Kharge later hailed Gandhi’s “personal sacrifices” and her leadership’s success in forming Union governments twice, reviving the party and forming the government in many states. “Her tenure will be remembered in history,” Kharge said. The president-elect identified price rise, joblessness, the growing differences between rich and the poor and social polarisation as key issues. He also urged everyone to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra, an ongoing mass contact programme helmed by former party chief Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi said that Kharge’s “vast experience and ideological commitment will serve the party well as he takes on this historic responsibility.” Earlier in the day, he sought to scotch speculation that the Gandhi family will retain control of the party.
Kharge said that the country couldn’t be “sacrificed for an autocrat’s eccentricity” and assured that he will rise up to the expectations. “We have to fight the fascist forces attacking every democratic institution under the guise of communalism. We will also strengthen the organisation,” Kharge said.
Tharoor, who lost after a vigorous campaign, said he was never a candidate of dissent, but for change. “This augurs well for the Congress. We will move forward from here. Our workers have been energised to take on the challenge posed by the BJP and I am also confident that our party will display its strength,” he said.
“This is not an issue about an individual. I only wish that the party is strengthened. For a stronger India, you need a stronger Congress,” he added.
Kharge spent 50 years in the Congress party, winning a series of elections in assembly and parliament. He has been a state minister and the Union minister for railways and labour before his appointment as the leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha.
Kharge has less than two years to prepare the party for the national elections in 2024. His first challenge will be polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat over the next few months. Kharge’s home state of Karnataka is also set to go to the polls next year. But experts have questioned his ability to come out of the shadow of the Gandhis and push crucial organisational reforms.
The Congress is staring at a long election season between now and 2024, with seven major states expected to go to the polls. In all but one (Telangana), it is in direct competition with the BJP and has to do well to stand a chance in the 2024 general election.
Kharge also has to settle a thorny leadership question between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, stem the exodus of leaders leaving the party and make some key appointments. Kharge is expected to take a call on whether elections should be held for the Congress working committee and other posts.
Sanjay Jha, former Congress spokesperson, said, “The fact that 88% of the votes went to Mr Kharge is proof that this Congress President election was indeed having blessings from the high command.”
Wednesday marked only the sixth contest for the president’s post in the history of the Congress. Earlier, elections were held in 1939, 1950, 1977, 1997 and 2000. The first election was fought between Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi-backed P Sitaramayya in 1939 and was won by Bose.
The last two contests happened in 1997 and 2000. In 1997, Sitaram Kesri secured 83.4% of the votes, Sharad Pawar got 11.9%, and Rajesh Pilot managed only 4.7%; Three years later, Sonia Gandhi won an overwhelming victory against Jitendra Prasada.