Kharge announced to implement Udaipur declaration, says Sachin Pilot

With Mallikarjun Kharge taking over at the helm of affairs in Congress, Sachin Pilot on Wednesday said that 50 per cent of party posts would be given to party workers below 50 years of age as per Udaipur Declaration.

Sachin also reiterated that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi will always remain the leaders of the party. Pilot, who arrived in Uttar Pradesh's Noida earlier today, said that a message has been sent to the other parties through the election of Kharge as party president that Congress is capable of conducting free and fair elections.

"Mallikarjun Kharge has taken charge as the president of the party. It is a good sign for democracy that such a big election concluded successfully in such a large party. Congress has the ability to conduct fair elections with utmost transparency. Kharge has vast experience," he said while speaking to the reporters.

"He has always worked as a worker of the Congress party. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were and will always be leaders of our party, but we will fight all the challenges in front of us. We'll start working for the upcoming elections," he said while mentioning about the challenges in two states- Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh within this year, and then the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls.

"A message has been sent from Delhi that Congress has done something which no other party has done. Nobody knows how the BJP president is elected," Pilot added. Mentioning the Udaipur declaration that was adopted in May earlier this year in the three-day Chintan Shivir, Pilot said that Kharge would implement the declaration.

"The party has adopted the Udaipur declaration. Kharge Ji had announced to implement this as soon as he got elected. The party had passed a declaration with a consensus to give opportunities to the youth. The party will give 50 per cent of the posts at all levels to those workers of the party who are below 50 years of age," he said.

Soon after taking over the reins of Congress, Kharge said, "We decided at the Udaipur 'Chintan Shivir' to reserve 50 per cent of the party posts for those below 50 years of age. We will move forward with that, with support from all of you."

"We will defeat those who spread hatred," he said, naming the ruling BJP and its parent body RSS as "those who want to divide India".

Earlier today, Kharge, who succeeds Sonia Gandhi, said it was a matter of pride to carry forward the legacy of Congress. "It's an emotional moment for me. I want to thank Congress people for making a worker's son, an ordinary worker, the president of Congress. It is a matter of pride to carry forward the legacy of the Congress," he said. The 80-year-old Congress veteran said that it was a matter of privilege and pride for him to handle the responsibility as a party which was led by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose.

"As president, it will be my utmost duty to look after our workers. Together, we will build an India that will be enlightened, empowered and equal for every citizen. We will uphold the Constitution of this country, respect everyone's rights and give equal opportunities, defeat those who spread hate, and fight inflation, unemployment and hunger," he said.