‘Feeling very relieved,’ says Sonia Gandhi as Mallikarjun Kharge takes charge of Congress

 

Sonia Gandhi said she will remember the respect and love that she received from the people till her last breath but it was also a huge responsibility. As Mallikarjun Kharge took over the responsibility on Wednesday, Sonia Gandhi said she felt relieved.

Congress outgoing president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said she was feeling relieved as she passed the baton on to Mallikarjun Kharge, the new president of the Congress who took the charge. The party in the past faced many crises but never embraced defeat and now the most threatening challenge is the danger that the democracy in the country faces, Sonia Gandhi said. 

The most satisfactory thing is that Mallikarjun Kharge has been elected by every Congressman, by their conscience, Sonia Gandhi said adding that Mallikarjun Kharge started as a Congress grassroots worker and then worked towards the top by his devotion and commitment to the people and the party.

"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.

Sonia Gandhi was the interim president of the party after Rahul Gandhi quit the presidency after taking ownership of the 2019 Lok Sabha defeat. Before that, Sonia Gandhi remained in the president post from 1998 to 2017. Sonia Gandhi faced rebellion as calls for reforms, internal elections were raised by a group of 23 members including Shashi Tharoor.

Mallikarjun Kharge was elected the president of the party in an eventful election held after decades between Kharge and Shashi Tharoor.