New Delhi: Half a century after Jagjivan Ram held the publish, the Congress might lastly have one other Dalit president. On the age of 80, Mallikarjun Kharge begins as a heavyweight in maybe the largest electoral combat of his life.
On Friday, Kharge filed his nomination alongside along with his colleagues Shashi Tharoor and Ok. N. Tripathi for the 17 October high-profile election. The nine-time MLA and two-time Lok Sabha MP later stated he was preventing for a “large change” within the celebration.
Having began off as a pupil union chief, adopted by a stint in labour politics, Kharge noticed his inventory rise steadily in Karnataka politics. Although he was recognised as a grassroots chief and stored profitable ballot after ballot, he noticed S. M. Krishna, N. Dharam Singh and Siddaramaiah being chosen over him as chief minister.
First, Krishna grew to become the CM in 1999. Then when the Congress didn’t muster sufficient numbers in 2004, the celebration shaped an alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular). Dharam Singh was chosen for the highest publish. Kharge was stated to be upset however quietly accepted the celebration’s choice. In 2009, he was despatched to Delhi to make approach for Siddaramaiah. He once more accepted the choice quietly.
Maybe that is why a number of Congress leaders vouch for his unwavering loyalty to the celebration. “He began out his political profession with the Congress and has remained extremely loyal to the organisation all these years. The celebration has additionally recognised his efforts,” stated Rajeev Gowda, Congress spokesperson and former MP from Karnataka.
A lawyer by training, Kharge was born to a Dalit couple at Varavatti in 1942. After becoming a member of the Congress in 1969, Kharge entered the Karnataka meeting in 1972 after profitable from Gurmitkal constituency. He remained an MLA until 2009.
He entered the Lok Sabha that yr and went on to first function labour minister after which took over the cost of railways and social justice and empowerment within the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) authorities.
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Gandhi household loyalist
“Nobody can weaken Congress or Sonia Gandhi,” Kharge had stated in March when a dissenting Kapil Sibal demanded that the Gandhis ought to transfer away from the helm on their very own.
None had been stunned by the assertion. In February final yr, the Gandhi loyalist had credited his “loyalty and dedication” after he changed Ghulam Nabi Azad as Chief of Opposition within the Rajya Sabha.
“He’s a really sturdy contender for the publish of the Congress president for his administrative capability in addition to his political expertise. Apart from the final election, he has had a superb observe file of profitable elections and has labored with so many senior Congress leaders previously,” stated Dinesh Gundu Rao, senior Congress chief and son of former Karnataka chief minister R. Gundu Rao.
Kharge’s electoral observe file backs his picture of a grassroots chief. Within the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress veteran gained from Gulbarga regardless of a large Modi wave within the nation.
It was in 2019 that Kharge suffered his first electoral defeat when he misplaced to BJP candidate Umesh Jadhav. The celebration, nonetheless, compensated him by sending him to the Rajya Sabha in 2020.
“I carefully labored with him when he grew to become the Chief of Opposition in Lok Sabha. As head of the Congress analysis division, my job was to assist him and our MPs. What struck me about his working type is that even at his age, he’s extremely hard-working, very targeted and educated,” Rajiv Gowda advised ThePrint. “He’s in a short time capable of get to the political dimensions of points in a pointy method. He’s very spectacular by way of his work ethics.”
A follower of Buddhism, Kharge has typically professed his admiration for social reformer B. R. Ambedkar. The Congress chief prefers to not be recognized by his Dalit background. “I’m a Dalit. That’s true. However, I’ve reached right here due to my calibre and arduous work. Each caste and faith has supported me. Name me a Congress chief, folks’s chief. Not only a Dalit chief,” he has been quoted as saying.
Gowda, too, vouched for the secular credentials of the veteran chief. “One factor that additionally makes him stand out is his dedication to social justice. He’s a practising Buddhist, staunchly secular and rejects caste and discrimination.”
Folks might not be conscious of his qualities, however Kharge instructions nice respect throughout celebration traces, Gundu Rao stated.
“He’s ideologically very sound and a discovered man. He at all times retains studying. Folks don’t know lots of his qualities since he doesn’t promote himself a lot or does any low cost ways for recognition. From the celebration’s facet as nicely, he didn’t have any lack of recognition and the celebration has given him each place for his capabilities. But it surely’s true that his nationwide publicity, aside from the previous 10 years, has been much less,” the Congress chief advised ThePrint.
Although Kharge comes from a Scheduled Caste group, Rao stated, the veteran by no means takes “benefit” of his background. “Even in Parliament, he sits by way of complete periods. And, when he speaks, he’s heard [by all] and instructions nice respect throughout celebration traces.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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