Supremacy of Gandhi family will continue despite Kharge becoming Congress president, says Ashwani Kumar

New Delhi [India], October 19 (ANI): Former union minister Ashwani Kumar on Wednesday took a swipe at the Congress party after the party's presidential poll results were declared and said that the supremacy of the Gandhi family will continue despite Mallikarjun Kharge becoming the party chief.
Kharge today emerged victorious as he got 7,897 votes against his opponent Shashi Tharoor who received 1,072 votes in the polls conducted on October 17.
Speaking to ANI, Kumar said, "As far as authority is concerned, it is known to all that the Congress President has all the rights. But it is also the ground reality that the supremacy in the Congress party only belongs to the Gandhi family and as long as the Gandhi family is there, they will be dominant".
He claimed that Kharge would not be able to succeed in the party without the support of Sonia Gandhi and the Gandhi family members.
"It seems that considering the condition of the Congress party, Sonia Gandhi will not create any hindrance in Kharge's work and will encourage him to work," he said.
Further congratulating Shashi Tharoor who lost to Kharge by a large margin in the party's internal polls, Kumar said that he contested the elections in very difficult circumstances.
"I want to congratulate Shashi Tharoor because he has shown what he has said. He contested the elections in very difficult circumstances despite all the Congress veterans being with Kharge ji, yet Shashi Tharoor got more than 1,000 votes in the election. Shashi Tharoor's words have reached the hearts of the people and the Congress President will decide what will be his next role," he said.
Earlier today, Sonia Gandhi and the party's General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday reached the residence of Mallikarjun Kharge and congratulated him on being elected as the new party president.
They also met Kharge's wife Radhabai Kharge on the occasion.
Rahul Gandhi also extended wishes to Kharge and said that the post he has been elected for "represents a democratic vision of India".
Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said that Kharge's vast experience (which goes beyond 50 years in politics) will serve the party well.
"Congratulations to Mallikarjun Kharge ji on being elected as the President of @INCIndia. The Congress President represents a democratic vision of India. His vast experience and ideological commitment will serve the party well as he takes on this historic responsibility," Gandhi tweeted.
Earlier today, Chairman of the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) Madhusudan Mistry declared Mallikarjun Kharge as the elected President of the party. (ANI)