Fight to protect Constitution, democracy begins today: Kharge
He also urged the people to come out and exercise their franchise in large numbers.
As Mallikarjun Kharge formally took over as the Congress president at the AICC headquarters on Wednesday. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who lost the race to the party’s top-post, pledged his full support and cooperation to the new AICC chief in taking the party forward.
Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the party in 24 years, took the charge in the presence of former party president Sonia Gandhi, MP Rahul Gandhi and party’s general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other senior leaders and MPs.
Tharoor, who also attended the event, took to his twitter handle and posted a picture sitting with Kharge and Sonia Gandhi after the ceremony at the party headquarters. Along with the picture, he wrote, “Gathered for a brief chat after Kharge ji sat in his new office for a symbolic moment. Pledged him my full support & cooperation in taking Congress forward.”
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Gathered for a brief chat after @kharge ji sat In his new office for a symbolic moment. Pledged him my full support & cooperation in taking @incIndia forward. #NewCongressPresident pic.twitter.com/YSMoQmxfWa
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 26, 2022
Earlier, Tharoor also congratulated Kharge on his official assumption of the duties of the Congress president, and wished him success.
The 80-year-old Kharge defeated his 66-year-old rival, Tharoor, bagging over 84 per cent of the votes in the presidential election. Kharge polled 7,897 Pradesh Congress Committee delegate votes out of 9,385, while Tharoor bagged 1072.
The picture was shared as a frame of unity, considering Kharge was allegedly called as an “official” candidate backed by Gandhis. Tharoor, in the run-up to the polls, had said the veteran leader from Karnataka was a “status-quo” candidate and campaigned with the slogan #Think Tomorrow, Think Tharoor.
However, Both leaders had stressed that it is not a bitter contest, with Kharge stating that it is “like two brothers” putting forward their views.
The aftermath of the polls, which saw Kharge win by a landslide, saw some sharp exchanges between the party leadership and Tharoor.
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