“Feeling Relieved, Free Of Responsibility”: Sonia Gandhi.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge takes charge as party chief on Wednesday. The 80-year-old Dalit leader from Karnataka is the first non-Gandhi to head the party in 24 years. Kharge won 90% of the votes cast by Congress delegates in the recently concluded party presidential election. Mallikarjun Kharge, won the Congress president election last week, beating his rival Shashi Tharoor by a landslide.

The Congress faces many challenges but with unity and strength it will move forward to tackle them as it has done before, outgoing party chief Sonia Gandhi said on Wednesday.
Speaking at an event where Mallikarjun Kharge formally took over as the Congress president after he was handed over the certificate of election to the top post, Gandhi said she is confident that the Congress will be inspired and strengthened by his leadership.

‘Feeling Relieved, Free Of Responsibility’: Sonia Gandhi Passes The Baton
Sonia Gandhi said the biggest challenge today was the crisis of democratic values in the country.

Sonia Gandhi today said she felt “relieved” as Mallikarjun Kharge officially took over as Congress president, a post she held for nearly 23 years.
“I did my duty to the best of my ability. Today, I will be freed of this responsibility. A weight is off my shoulder. I feel a sense of relief,” Sonia Gandhi said at the change of guard event.

“This was a big responsibility. The responsibility is now on Mallikarjun Kharge,” she said.

Sonia Gandhi said the biggest challenge today was the crisis of democratic values in the country.

“The Congress faces many challenges. The challenge is how we face it. With full strength, unity, we have to move forward and succeed,” she told a gathering of Congress leaders.

Critics questioned the fairness of the election, suggesting that Mr Kharge, as the “Gandhis -approved candidate”, was sure to win. Many also allege that Mr Kharge will act as the proxy for the Gandhis, who are not in the contest for the Congress top post for the first time in 25 years. The Congress has rubbished these allegations, insisting that its election was a big success and was proof of democratic values in the party.

Kharge, speaking after Mrs Gandhi, praised her leadership effusively. “Sonia Gandhi was always truthful, the example set by her is unparalleled. Under her leadership, two UPA governments were formed, and the jobs scheme (MGNREGA), the Food Security Act, RTI (Right to Information) Act were enforced during those governments,” Mr Kharge added.