For top leadership of Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge is just the man for job

The task for Mallikarjun Kharge is cut out. He has assumed charge as Congress president at a time when the party is at its weakest. Can he engineer a resurgence?

It was a ‘mistake’ that went unnoticed. Ahead of taking charge as president of the Congress party, Mallikarjun Kharge went to Rajghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. But his car went to the VIP entrance, instead of the VVIP entrance, from where it is easier to walk to the samadhi.

Managers told him to stay put, that the car would take him to the right entrance. “It doesn’t matter,” said Kharge and prepared to alight. “You will have to walk a lot,” his staff gently remonstrated. But Kharge waved them aside, electing to be a mere VIP, and walked the