Kochi: Senior Congress leader Mallikarjunn Kharge became supremo of the party polling 7,89 votes beating his rival Shashi Tharoor who managed to get over 1000 votes triggering a debate over drain of votes.
Kharge, who becomes first president from a non Gandhi family in 24 years, was an unannounced party nominee who polled over 84 percent votes and Tharoor more than 11 percent.
It is a great honour and a huge responsibility to be President of the Indian National Congress and I wish Mallikarjun Kharge all success in that task. It was a privilege to have received the support of over a thousand colleagues, and to carry the hopes and aspirations of so many well-wishers of Congress across India,” Tharoor posted on Twitter.
“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 added. Still Tharoor wrote to Madhusudan Mistry, alleging serious irregularities” in Uttar Pradesh and demanded declaring of votes from UP invalid even as Mistry dismissed the charges as baseless.
