Kharge to take charge as Cong chief on Oct 26, thanks Sonia on behalf of party workers

New Delhi, Oct 19: Newly-elected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will take charge as party chief on October 26. He also thanked Outgoing Congress president Sonia Gandhi on behalf of party workers.

Kharge in his first address after the mega win said, "I want to congratulate my partner Shashi Tharoor as well. I met him and discussed how to take the party forward. I want to thank Sonia Gandhi on behalf of all party workers. Under her leadership, we formed our government in the centre twice."

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi visited party chief-elect Kharge at his residence here soon after he was declared winner and congratulated him.

Gandhi was accompanied by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during their visit.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi also congratulated Kharge on being elected as the new party chief and said he represents a "democratic vision" of India. "Congratulations to Mallikarjun Kharge ji on being elected as the President of Congress," Gandhi said on Twitter.

Kharge was on Wednesday elected the Congress president after defeating Tharoor in the electoral contest, the sixth in the party's 137-year-old history.

Kharge got 7,897 votes and Shashi Tharoor 1,072 votes, while 416 votes were declared invalid.