INDIA: Mallikarjun Kharge, who is a candidate in the Congress presidential poll, says that he believed in “collective leadership”. He aims to take the party to new heights.
During his speech at Northeast, Kharge said that his primary aim would be to implement the ‘Udaipur Declaration’ and bring in “new blood” to the party. He will be appointing candidates less than 50 years of age, including women and people belonging to socially backward classes.
The Rajya Sabha MP said, “I believe in consultation and collective leadership.” I don’t believe in people following me, but I want them to walk beside me. Together, we will work to strengthen the organisational set-up of the party.”
The leader claimed Sonia Gandhi had called him at her house and asked him to take forward the Congress party. “I told her that I could suggest three names, but she said that she was not asking for names and asked me to lead the party,” said Kharge.
The Congress loyalist even mentioned, “The contest is being held as both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi had promised a democratic process, with delegates getting to elect the president.”
However, the leader requested the Congress party workers to stay united and work together so that they can fight vigorously against the BJP party. As per him, the BJP is a party “whose objective is to divide the country and the opposition by using central agencies”.
“The Congress has to protect the legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru, which was earlier taken forward by Indira and Rajiv Gandhi. It is our duty to listen to Sonia Gandhi, who has knowledge and experience after being at the helm of the party for 20 years, “said Mallikarjun.
According to a Congress party spokesman, the Rajya Sabha MP had conducted meetings in Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Meghalaya and discussed various important issues with them.
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