NEW DELHI: India’s Con­g­ress party on Wednesday appointed an octogenarian ex-minister as its first president in 24 years not from the Gandhi dynasty, in an effort to reverse its apparent dec­line into political oblivion.

Mallikarjun Kharge, 80, was elected by members to replace Sonia Gandhi as president of the once-mighty party that helped win India’s independence from Britain 75 years ago.

Kharge, a former railways and labour minister who is from the low-caste Dalit community, was born five years before independence and is widely believed to have the backing of both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

“Today, India is facing challenges of inflation, une­m­­ployment and growing economic disparity and the ruling party’s divisive agenda,” Kharge told reporters during his first press conference as party leader.

“We have to protect the constitution that is under attack and together fight the forces trying to finish our democracy.”

Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that Kharge is now the supreme authority in the party and that he “will decide my role in the party”.

But despite stepping back, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are expected to continue pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

Kharge, who is four months older than US President Joe Biden, now faces the mammoth challenge of winning the next national election, due in 2024, and contesting two state elections before the end of this year.

Kharge faced off against Shashi Tharoor, 66, a former under-secretary-general of the United Nations who campaigned for “change” in the party.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2022