KHARGE TAKES THE REINS

MALLIKARJUN KHARGE, 80, THE FIRST DALIT PRESIDENT CONGRESS HAS HAD IN 50 YEARS, TAKES OVER AT A TIME WHEN THE PARTY IS DESPERATE FOR A REVIVAL. CAN HE RISE TO THE CHALLENGE?

- Kaushik Deka

MALLIKARJUN KHARGE IS A STUDY in contrasts. Of the 13 elections he has contested, including the recently-concluded one for Congress president, he has won 12. Yet, he doesn’t have the flamboyance of a mass leader. Thanks to his gigantic physique’— as a close relative puts it—he comes across as a serious person, but his wicked sense of humour has one in splits during conversations. Most of his political colleagues find him polite and sober but, at home, he is a disciplinarian. Whenever he is at home, even the grandchildren are on their toes. He asks them questions about everything, from global warming to local civic issues to check their awareness levels. He’s also particular about not wasting food, water or electricity,” says Priyank Kharge, his son and a Karnataka MLA.

But Kharge, a former sportsperson who excelled in a number of sports in his younger days, is quite indisciplined when it comes to work-life balance. He is known to be a foodie who loves his non-vegetarian fare and jowar roti, but often sits through party meetings and events that run for over half' a day without taking a break. But despite the erratic daily routine, Kharge remains agile at 80 with no age-related maladies. In fact, he spent his 80th birthday on the streets of Delhi, protesting against the Enforcement Directorate’s questioning of outgoing Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress is now banking on the octogenarian, who edged past Shashi Tharoor to win the presidential poll, to take the party out of the worst political crisis in its 136-year history—two humiliating Lok Sabha defeats and 42 losses in 50 assembly elections held since 2014. The party is in power in only two of India’s 30 states and its legislative strength in Parliament is in the mid double digits—53 members in the Lok Sabha and a mere 31 in the Rajya Sabha.