Rough road ahead for Kharge as Cong chief

New Delhi: Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took charge as the Congress' first non-Gandhi president in 24 years, citing Rahul Gandhi's slogan 'daro mat' (fear not) to energise workers and declaring that the party will demolish the BJP government's 'system of lies, treachery and hatred'.

Handing over the reins of the party, Sonia Gandhi said change is the rule of the world. "Today, I will be freed of this responsibility and this weight will be off me and that is why it is natural that I am feeling relieved," she said.

Kharge, 80, who defeated Shashi Tharoor to win the presidential election, takes over at a time the grand old party is struggling to find relevance. With the Congress at a historic electoral low – it is in power in just two states on its own – his immediate task will be to lead the party to power in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, where it faces an aggressive BJP and an eager AAP seeking to cut into Opposition votes.

Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Kharge said elections will be held in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat as well as in other states and Congress workers would have to give it their all to defeat the BJP, which he accused of weakening democracy established by the Congress.

"We will have to strongly perform in these states, and we will need everyone's strength and energy to succeed in them together," Kharge said at a function at the AICC headquarters here while stressing that the people want change.

Adding a personal, emotive note as he was handed the certificate of election to the top post, he said in Hindi, "It is an emotional moment for me and I would like to thank Congress people for making a worker's son and an ordinary worker president of the party."

Soon after the function, Sonia Gandhi escorted Kharge to the office of the Congress president she had occupied for many years. Rahul Gandhi and a host of senior Congress leaders, including Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh's Bhupesh Baghel, as well as those from the so-called "G23 grouping" that had questioned the drift in the party, were also present.

"We are Mahatma Gandhi's soldiers and we do not fear anyone. When Congress workers shed their fear from within, the biggest kingdom would bow before them. That is why I remember Rahul Gandhi's words of 'daro mat' and we will take forward this slogan," Kharge said to a rousing welcome from party workers, some of whom waved party flags in celebration.

"I know it is a difficult phase and everyone knows the manner in which efforts are being made to change the democracy established by the Congress in the country," he said.

Kharge, who served as a Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, and Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, told party workers it is their responsibility to implement the blueprint prepared under Sonia Gandhi in Udaipur in May this year.

The veteran leader said the Udaipur Declaration's proposals such as 50% of party posts to be given to those below 50 years of age, filling up organisational vacancies, setting up a public insight department and election management department and establishing political affairs committee in states will be implemented.

"What kind of new India is this where youth are not getting jobs, farmers are being crushed under jeeps, atrocities taking place against women are rising, people are reeling under price rise but the government is sitting with eyes closed, the government is helping a few crony capitalist friends," Kharge alleged.

In this new India, he said, the government is sleeping but the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax department work for 24 hours to suppress the opposition. Dalits, minorities and exploited people are being insulted and opportunities taken away from them, he said.