India’s opposition Congress party declared veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge its new chief, the first person from outside the influential Nehru-Gandhi family to hold the beleaguered party’s presidency in 24 years.
He is the second Dalit leader to hold the post after Jagjivan Ram. Kharge has over fifty years of political experience.
Kharge, an 80-year-old from the lowest rung of India’s caste system, is seen as a loyalist of the Gandhi family, which has produced three Indian prime ministers and is expected to retain its clout over the party.
The the137-year-old Congress, which helped win India’s independence from colonial power Britain and then dominated politics for decades, has long championed a secular polity.
Sonia Gandhi stated that she was very happy to see that Kharge has become the Congress party Chief. She opined that change is inevitable.
Kharge said that it is an emotional movement for him. The Congress family must come together for the sake Bharat Jodo he suggested.
Congress is the only party with internal democracy he said. He wanted the leaders and the cadres to get ready for the coming elections.
