Gandhis Pass The Baton To Mallikarjun Kharge As He Takes Over As Congress Chief. IN PICS

Mallikarjun Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the party in 24 years, defeated Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a direct contest for the party president's post.

Newly-elected Congress President Mallikarjun with party MP Rahul Gandhi at AICC Headquarters in New Delhi

Veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge formally took over as Congress president on Wednesday. In this image, Sonia Ganhi hands over the certificate of election to Kharge at the AICC headquarters in Delhi. (Source: PTI)

Ahead of his official takeover as the Congress president on Wednesday, Mallikarjun Kharge paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat. Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the party in 24 years, had defeated Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in a direct contest for the party president's post. (Source: PTI)

Kharge also visited the memorials of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and former deputy PM Jagjivan Ram, and paid tributes to the leaders. 'We are Mahatma Gandhi's soldiers and we do not fear anyone,' Kharge said. (Source: PTI)

Kharge also visited the Samta Sthal and Shakti Sthal on Wednesday. After taking charge, Kharge said he would like to thank Congress people for making a worker's son and an ordinary worker president of the party. (Source: PTI)

Kharge's takes charge of the Congress at a time when the party is at its lowest point, having lost nearly ten elections since 2020 after a severe drubbing in two consecutive Lok Sabha polls. (Source: PTI)

Sonia Gandhi said she felt 'relieved' as Mallikarjun Kharge officially took over as Congress president, a post she held for nearly 23 years. (Source: PTI)