The Congress has elected its first non-Gandhi president in 24 years. Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge has emerged as the winner in the historic polls, defeating his rival Shashi Tharoor, who is known for his mastery over the English language.
But winning is like a habit for the veteran leader – who in the past has contested 12 elections (both Assembly and Lok Sabha) and tasted defeat only once – in 2019. In fact, he scripted a history of sorts when he was elected for the eighth consecutive time to the Karnataka Assembly in 2004. He set another milestone when he was elected for the ninth time in a row to the Assembly from Chitapur.
It has been a chequered journey for Kharge, the 80-year-old veteran Congress leader, as he caps his career as the Congress chief, only the second Dalit to be so, after Jagjivan Ram.
Born on July 21, 1942 in Bidar, Kharge joined Congress way back in 1969 and has held an array of portfolios. He has been the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Karnataka since February 16, 2021. From February 16, 2021 to October 1 2022, Kharge was Leader of the Opposition of Rajya Sabha.
He was also the Minister of Railways and Minister of Labour and Employment in Manmohan Singh government. During 2014–2019, he held the position of leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha.
Source: India Today
