Chhattisgarh CM calls on Congress president-elect Mallikarjun Kharge, extends wishes

New Delhi [India], October 21 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday met with the new Congress president-elect Mallikarjun Kharge at the latter's residence.
"Today, meeting the newly elected President of Indian National Congress Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji at his residence and conveyed his greetings and best wishes," tweeted Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
The newly elected President of the Indian National Congress Mallikarjun Kharge will take charge of the post on October 26 at All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters. All Congress Working Committee members, MPs, Pradesh Congress Committee presidents, CLP leaders, former CMs, former State presidents and other AICC office bearers are invited to the programme.
The invitation has been sent to all the above stakeholders by the General Secretary organisation KC Venugopal.
Kharge beat his opponent Shashi Tharoor by a huge margin in the race to the party's top post, thus becoming the first non-Gandhi to take over the office after 24 years.
Kharge got 7,897 votes in the presidential contest while his opponent Tharoor received 1,072 votes in the voting held on October 17.
Also, Kharge will visit poll-bound states like Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat soon.
Soon after his poll victory Kharge said that the party has presented an "example of strengthening the country's democracy by conducting organisational elections" at a time when "democracy is in danger" in the country.
Addressing the media after his victory, Kharge said Congress has "continuously strengthened democracy" in the 75-year history of the country and protected the Constitution.
"Now when democracy is in danger and Constitution is being attacked, and every institution is being broken, Congress has presented an example of strengthening the country's democracy by conducting organisational elections at the national level. I thank everyone connected with the election," he said.
He also congratulated Tharoor and said that they discussed methods to take the party forward. Tharoor had visited Kharge's residence to congratulate him on his victory.
"I want to congratulate my partner Shashi Tharoor as well. We were contesting the election as representatives. He met me and we discussed how to take the party forward," Kharge said.
Earlier yesterday, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached Mallikarjun Kharge's residence and congratulated him on being elected as the new party president.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also extended wishes to Kharge and said that the post he has been elected to "represents a democratic vision of India". (ANI)