Mallikarjun Kharge to take over as Congress president today

New Delhi, October 25

Veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge will formally take over as the Congress president on Wednesday after he is handed over the certificate of election and the baton by Sonia Gandhi at a function here.

Hectic preparations were underway at the Congress headquarters for the ceremony. Kharge will be the first non-Gandhi to head the outfit in 24 years.

He defeated Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in a direct contest for the top post in the grand old party after the Gandhis opted out of the race.

Ahead of his taking over, Kharge called on former PM Manmohan Singh at his residence and spent some time with him. On Wednesday morning, Kharge will pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.