Kharge chairs Congress Central Election Committee meeting for Gujarat polls

Mallikarjun Kharge, who on Wednesday took over as Congress president, chaired a meeting of the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) to finalise candidates for the Gujarat assembly polls.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was also present at the meeting.

Three meetings of Congress screening committee have already been held for Gujarat assembly polls. The Congress is seeking to oust the BJP government in Gujarat and is also facing challenge from Aam Aadmi Party which is seeking to establish itself in the state. The BJP has been continuously in power in Gujarat from 1998.

The assembly polls in Gujarat would be held before the end of the year.

Kharge officially took charge as the party president at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in Delhi in the presence of senior party leaders.

Congress Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry handed over the certificate of election to Kharge who defeated Shashi Tharoor.

Kharge, who has succeeds Sonia Gandhi, said it was a matter of pride to carry forward legacy of Congress.

"It's an emotional moment for me. I want to thank Congress people for making a worker's son, an ordinary worker, the president of Congress. It is a matter of pride to carry forward the legacy of the Congress," he said.

The 80-year-old Congress veteran said that it was a matter of privilege and pride for him to handle the responsibility as a party which was led by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose.

"As president, it will be my utmost duty to look after our workers. Together, we will build an India that will be enlightened, empowered and equal for every citizen. We will uphold the Constitution of this country, respect everyone's rights and give equal opportunities, defeat those who spread hate, and fight inflation, unemployment and hunger," he said.