Senior parliamentarian Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took over the reins of the Congress party in New Delhi, days after he registered a landslide victory over Shashi Tharoor in the elections for the party president. Party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi formally handed over the charge of the grand old party to the 80-year-old at a party ceremony in Delhi. Chairman of the central election authority of Congress, Madhusudan Mistry, also presented the certificate of election to Kharge at the function in the national capital today. Rahul Gandhi, who is currently in the Telangana leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra, also attended the event.

Addressing the party workers after formally assuming charge of Congress, Kharge said, “We have to fight and save our constitution — this is our collective goal. I will fulfill all duties as the party president, but will urge you all to put your dedication and effort, while standing next to me.”

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Kharge will be the first non-Gandhi to lead the party in 24 years after Sonia and Rahul Gandhi decided to opt out of the race. Kharge called upon former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence ahead of taking charge. On Wednesday morning, Kharge also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and erstwhile prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, reported PTI.

Kharge, in his victory speech, called upon all party workers to collectively fight the “fascist forces” in the country at a time when the party faces an uphill task against BJP’s aggressive election machinery. Kharge takes charge of a party which has faced severe setbacks in Goa and Punjab this year alone.

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Kharge’s first challenge will be to revive the party electorally with assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh not far away. Kharge’s job will be further cut out with an increasing challenge of the party struggling to keep its house together. The party has witnessed several top leaders leaving the party in the past few months, dissatisfied with the state of affairs within the party. Kharge will also look to implement radical reforms discussed in the party’s Chintan Shivir earlier this year and reinstate Congress’ authority in the opposition space going into the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.