New Delhi: Interim AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi visited Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Rajaji Marg in New Delhi on Wednesday and conveyed her best wishes for his win as AICC Chief.

          Mallikarjun Kharge secured 7, 897 votes out of 9, 300 votes and his rival Shashi Tharoor got 1, 072 votes in the AICC Chief contest and 400 votes are invalid. The election proceeding officer declared that Kharge won as the AICC Chief with a margin of over 6K votes majority.

He emerged victorious in the presidential elections held on Monday, becoming the first non-Gandhi family leader to head the grand old party in 24 years. He will officially take over the position of Sonia Gandhi on October 26^th.

Speaking to the media persons after being elected as AICC Chief, he expressed his resolve to ‘fight against conspiracies to kill democracy. AICC chief, Kharge thanked interim chief Sonia Gandhi, the longest-serving Congress president, highlighting the personal sacrifices she made for the party.

The election is significant for the Congress in the sense that the contest for the top post took place after a gap of two decades. The last election for the post of president was held in 2000, in which Sonia won with a thumping majority trouncing rival candidate Jitendra Prasada.