Only Rahul can challenge Modi: Ashok Gehlot on day Mallikarjun Kharge takes charge as Congress President

Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that efforts continued till the last minute to make Rahul Gandhi as the president of the grand old party since he is the only one who can challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP governmentSpeaking to media persons here in the national capital Gehlot said The leadership that Sonia Gandhi ji led for 22 years will always be remembered We all had requested her in 1998 to take over as the party president otherwise the party will be shattered She took the challenge in the interest of the Congress party despite having language issues After that she was Congress President for 22 years and the governments were formed in 13 states at that time She performed very well as a party chief that which no one can forgetHe further said that it was Rahul Gandhis desire that for once a nonGandhi should become the President of the partyIt was Rahul Gandhis desire that for once a nonGandhi should become the President of the party However till the last minute efforts were made to make Rahul Gandhi the party president as only he can challenge Modi and the government said GehlotAlso Read Thane Man stabs 22yearold nephew to death over domestic dispute in DombivliThe Rajasthan chief minister also congratulated Mallikarjun Kharge and promised to will work to strengthen the partyToday is a new beginning We congratulate Mallikarjun Kharge Ji and will work to strengthen the party Gehlot saidThe newly elected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge ahead of taking charge of the post visited Rajghat in the national capital to pay homage to Mahatma GandhiKharge also paid floral tributes to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi at Shakti Sthal and Jawaharlal Nehru at Shanti Van in the national capitalHe also paid homage to freedom fighter and Dalit icon Jagjivan Ram at Samta SthalThe veteran leader will take charge as the All India Congress Committee AICC President at an event at the Congress headquarters here later in the day At the ceremony Kharge will be handed over a certificate of election by Sonia GandhiCongress leader Rahul Gandhi is also likely to be present at the ceremony Rahul Gandhi will take a break from his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra to participate in the eventKharge will be the first Congress President in 24 years who does not belong to the NehruGandhi familyMeanwhile preparations are on at Congress headquarters for Kharges oathtaking ceremonyAll Congress Working Committee members MPs Pradesh Congress Committee presidents CLP leaders former CMs former State presidents and other AICC office bearers have been invited to the programmeThe invitation has been sent to all the above stakeholders by the General Secretary organisation KC VenugopalChhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had said that he would also be present at the eventMallikarjun Kharge will take charge as the national president of the Congress party I too have been asked to be present at the occasion So I am going to Delhi he said in RaipurKharge trumped his opponent Shashi Tharoor by a huge margin in the race to the partys top post thus becoming the first nonGandhi to take over the office after 24 yearsKharge got 7897 votes in the presidential contest while his opponent Tharoor received 1072 votes in the voting held on October 17Soon after his poll victory Kharge said that the party has presented an example of strengthening the countrys democracy by conducting organisational elections at a time when democracy is in danger in the countryAddressing the media after his victory Kharge said Congress has continuously strengthened democracy in the 75year history of the country and protected the ConstitutionNow when democracy is in danger and Constitution is being attacked and every institution is being broken Congress has presented an example of strengthening the countrys democracy by conducting organisational elections at the national level I thank everyone connected with the election he saidHe also congratulated Tharoor and said that they discussed methods to take the party forward Tharoor had visited Kharges residence to congratulate him on his victoryI 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 saidAlso Kharge will visit pollbound states like Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat soonThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever