Congress President Election Results: As it was speculated days before his nomination that Mallikarjun Kharge will win the party president election owing to his decade-long loyalty to the Gandhi family, the results of party polls showed his landslide victory against his rival Shashi Tharoor, who is also a member of alleged party rebel group (G-23).
Kharge is set to be the new Congress president as he received over 7897 votes against Tharoor’s 1072 votes. Knowing Kharge’s proximity with Gandhis, Tharoor had raised the concern for a free and fair election and Congress had to ask its top leaders not to take a side.
Meanwhile, the million-dollar question is, can Kharge revive Congress which is going through one of the toughest phases post Independence courtesy the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) under the leadership of Narendra Modi-Amit Shah? The duo caused serious damage to the grand old party post-2014. Powered by the formidable ‘Modi-wave’, the ‘Congress-Mukt Bharat’ campaign being run by BJP achieved several targets in almost all big states and at the Centre by wresting power from Congress.
There is strong apprehension that Kharge will not bring any radical change in the party which is badly required to revive the lost electoral fortune as he is a member old-brigade that by and large believe in conservative politics. Political observers know how old brigades opposed Rahul Gandhi when he tried to bring about crucial changes when he was party president. Even Rahul Gandhi openly blamed senior leaders for 2019 Lok Sabha election debacle. Political experts always see old-gaurds of Congress as hurdles for reformation in Congress.
Old leadership Vs young turks
Congress had a long history of old leadership Vs young turks. From Indira Gandhi Vs K Kamaraj to Kamal Nath Vs Jyotiradiya Scindia (now member of BJP) to Ashok Gehlot Vs Sachin Pilot and several others. This has been a constant ailment at the party. With this record, it is unlikely, Kharge will go off the track and do something out of the box.
Will Kharge be remote controlled by Gandhis
There is a strong probability that he will work under the influences of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi as he enjoyed their trust. After 2014 nightmare for the party, Sonia Gandhi appointed him party leader in Lok Sabha. In 2019 General Election, in a huge embarrassment, the veteran party leader was defeated by BJP's Umesh Jadhav in Gulbarga by a margin of 95,452 votes. Still, he enjoyed the favour of Gandhis. Despite being defeated in poll in 2019, he was made leader from his party in Rajya Sabha.
Kharge impact on national politics
Being a non-Gandhi Congress president, Kharge will have an advantage and he can approach those Opposition party leaders who are upset with Gandhis and do want to join UPA (United Progressive Alliance). He shares good terms with all Opposition parties unlike Sonia Gandhi. Party like- SP, BSP, CP-M, CPI, BJD, SAD, TRS and JD-S may come inches close to Congress under new regime.
Challenges for Kharge
Kharge got a ‘crown-of-thorns’. The party is not in a good shape. He has to bring reform at all-level to attract electoral fortune. However, the biggest challenge is to keep the party united. Karnataka and Rajashtan Congress units posed the biggest challenge as DK Shivakumar-Siddaramaiah and Ashok Gehlot Vs Sachin Pilot often hit headlines for the wrong reasons.
Also Read: Mallikarjun Kharge - A hard-boiled Congressman, Gandhi family loyalist becomes party chief
