Kharge vows to bolster UPA as he takes over as Congress President

Refers to his own humble beginnings and struggles in maiden speech, dwells on Babasaheb Ambedkar's role in bringing India together

In his first speech after he officially became Congress President, Mallikarjun Kharge acknowledged the party was facing a difficult time and people had turned away from it. But he launched a frontal attack on ‘divisive forces’ and said: "Congress will break the circle of lies, hatred prevailing currently. My appeal goes out to people not aligned with the party but who want to save democracy, to join hands." In this he pledged, as president of the Congress, to strengthen and grow the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), a project that has suffered a setback as Congress units in the states are