‘Feeling relieved’, says Sonia Gandhi as Kharge takes charge as Congress president

As Mallikarjun Kharge officially took charge as the Congress president today, the grand old party’s outgoing chief Sonia Gandhi said that she is feeling relieved as the baton has been passed to the veteran leader.

The Congress party faced several kinds of crisis in the past but never embraced defeat, and now the most frightening challenge is the danger that democracy in the country faces, said Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi expressed that the most satisfying thing is that Congress leaders chose Kharge by their conscience. She further praised the veteran leader’s path to the top, noting that he started his journey as the party’s grassroots worker and his devotion and commitment put him in the top position.

"I Just said I felt relieved today. I will explain why I said that. I will remember and acknowledge the love and respect that I received till my last breath. But this respect was a huge responsibility as well. I shoulder the responsibility according to my capability. Today, I will be relieved of the responsibility. So naturally, I am feeling relieved," Sonia Gandhi said.

Mallikarjun Kharge has officially taken charge as Congress chief today. He was handed over the certificate of election as the Congress president by the party's central election authority chairman, Madhusudan Mistry.

Before taking charge, the veteran leader visited Rajghat and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi. He also paid floral tributes to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi at Shakti Sthal and Jawaharlal Nehru at Shanti Van in Delhi.

Kharge is the first non-Gandhi to head the grand old party in 24 years.