Mallikarjun Kharge as AICC chief: Mallikarjun Kharge was on Wednesday elected Congress president, the party's first non-Gandhi chief in more than 24 years. However, there is hardly any time for the new chief to celebrate as he steers the 'grand old party' through the many challenges on the road to the 2024 general elections. A Dalit from Karnataka, 80-year-old Kharge defeated 66-year-old rival Tharoor in a historic election, the sixth in the party's 137-year-old history. He will formally take over on October 26.
Upcoming elections
The upcoming Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections is one of the foremost challenges that Kharge as the party chief has to face. The party's chances in the elections not looking very bright. With infighting simmering in states such as Rajasthan and Karnataka, and hurdles in abundance for Opposition unity in the run-up to 2024, Kharge also faces an uphill task in winning elections in nine other states which are scheduled in 2023. At the moment, Congress is only in power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Party faces internal rumblings
Kharge has taken the charge at a time when the party is reeling under internal rumblings. Rajasthan is one such case where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and party member Sachin Pilot can't see eye-to-eye. In Chhattisgarh too CM Bhupesh Baghel and health minister TS Singh Deo differences have often required Sonia Gandhi's intervention.
Pally with Team Rahul Gandhi
Kharge will have to coordinate with the members of 'Team Rahul Gandhi', who hold key positions in All India Congress Committee (AICC), Congress Working Committee (CWC), and in most states. It is also being said that Kharge's leadership ability will be tested on the basis of the electoral success of the Congress.
'Remote control president'
The newly-elected Congress president's biggest challenge would be to come out of the shadow of Gandhis. It is noteworthy to mention here that, Kharge is said to have had the blessings of the Gandhis even though the party asserted that the elections were free and-fair. Gandhis' proximity was evident to such an extent that Rahul Gandhi had already declared Kharge as the party president even before the results were announced. Not only this, the BJP on Thursday even alleged that Congress party rigged its presidential elections to make Kharge win so that he can be remote controlled by the Gandhi family.
