Mallikarjun Kharge
Indian politician and leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha since 2021
- Anand Sharma
- Pramod Tiwari
Incumbent
13 January 2024
4 June 2014 – 23 May 2019
17 June 2013 – 26 May 2014
29 May 2009 – 16 June 2013
19 December 1996 – 7 July 1999
12 June 2020
Incharge for Maharashtra
22 June 2018 – 11 September 2020
31 May 2009 – 23 May 2019
2005–2008
1972–2008
2008–2009
1999–2004
1978–1980
Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge
(1942-07-21) 21 July 1942 (age 81)
Warwatti, Hyderabad State, British India
(present-day Karnataka, India)
Radhabai Kharge
(m. - Politician
- lawyer
Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge (Kannada: [malːikaːrd͡ʒun kʰɐrɡe]; born 21 July 1942) is an Indian lawyer and politician serving as the President of the Indian National Congress since 2022,[1] and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha since 2021. He has been a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Karnataka since 2020.
He was the chairperson of Public Accounts Committee in 16th Lok Sabha from 2016 to 2019. During the UPA 2 government, he served as the Minister of Railways from 2013 to 2014 and Minister of Labour and Employment from 2009 to 2013 in the Union Cabinet. Kharge was a Member of Parliament for Gulbarga, Karnataka from 2009 to 2019. He was also general secretary of All India Congress Committee and incharge for Maharashtra from 2018 to 2020.
Kharge served as the Leader of opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 1999. He was the President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee from 2005 to 2008. He was a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Gurmitkal Assembly constituency from 1972 to 2008 and from Chittapur Assembly constituency from 2008 to 2009 and Ministry of home affairs, Government of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and Rural development from 1978 to 1980. He defeated Shashi Tharoor in the 2022 Indian National Congress presidential election. Under his presidency, the Congress gained 47 seats in the 2024 Indian general election, forming the official opposition for the first time since 2014.[2][3]
He is known for his record of defeating all his opposition candidates in his lifetime career except one.[4]
Early life and background
Mallikarjun Kharge was born in the Varawatti, Bhalki Taluk, Bidar district, Karnataka in a Dalit family to Saibavva and Mapanna Kharge.
In 1948, Kharge lost his mother and sister in a fire set off by the Razakars of the Nizam of Hyderabad, while he himself had a narrow escape at the age of 7.[5][6] He finished his schooling from Nutan Vidyalaya in Gulbarga and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Government College, Gulbarga and his law degree from the Seth Shankarlal Lahoti Law College in Gulbarga.[7] He started his legal practice as a junior in Justice Shivaraj Patil's office and fought cases for labour unions early in his legal career.[8]
Role in national politics
In 2009, Kharge was elected in the general elections from Gulbarga. This was his tenth consecutive election victory.[9]
In the 2014 general elections, Kharge was elected from Gulbarga, beating Revunaik Belamagih from the BJP with a margin of 13,404 votes.[10][11] In June, he was appointed the Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha.[12]
In the 2019 general elections, Kharge contested from the same parliamentary seat, however this time he lost to Umesh G. Jadhav from the BJP with a margin of 95,452 votes.[11]
On 12 June 2020 Kharge was elected (unopposed) to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, at the age of 78 years.[13] On 12 February 2021, Kharge was appointed Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha.[14]
Kharge notably has been appointed as an observer by the INC for multiple states in the past, including Assam in 2014, Punjab in 2021, and Rajasthan in 2022.[15] He has been criticized for his alleged inability to resolve internal party issues in these three states and therefore causing the loss in Assam and Punjab, and public embarrassment in Rajasthan.[15]
President of the Indian National Congress
Election for president
On 1 October 2022, he filed nominations to contest the INC party presidential polls and won with 7897 votes.[16] He was the first INC President not from the Gandhi family in 24 years.[17]
2024 Indian general elections
Kharge's name was proposed as the prime ministerial candidate of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance for the 2024 general election. The proposal was made by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and was supported by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.[18] However, other senior leaders of the alliance such a Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Yadav disapproved the proposal.[19]
Electoral performances
| Year | Election | Party | Constituency Name | Result | Votes gained | Vote share% | Margin | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Mysore Legislative Assembly | INC | Gurmitkal | Won | 16,796 | 62.68%% | 9,440 | [20] | |
| 1978 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 30,380 | 64.99% | 16,599 | [21] | |||
| 1983 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 30,933 | 67.65% | 16,143 | [22] | |||
| 1985 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 32,669 | 66% | 17,673 | [23] | |||
| 1989 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 39,608 | 64.23% | 19,969 | [24] | |||
| 1994 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 42,588 | 58.76% | 19,336 | [25] | |||
| 1999 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 54,569 | 76.76% | 47,124 | [26] | |||
| 2004 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 37,006 | 45.99% | 18,547 | [27] | |||
| 2008 | Karnataka Legislative Assembly | Won | 49,837 | 52.13% | 17,442 | [28] | |||
| 2009 | 15th Lok Sabha | Gulbarga | Won | 3,45,241 | 45.46% | 13,404 | [29] | ||
| 2014 | 16th Lok Sabha | Won | 5,07,193 | 50.83% | 74,733 | [30] | |||
| 2019 | 17th Lok Sabha | Lost | 5,24,740 | 44.08% | 95,452 | [31] | |||
Positions held
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 1972–1978 | Elected to 5th Mysore Assembly (1st Term)
|
| 1978–1983 | Elected to 6th Karnataka Assembly (2nd Term)
|
| 1983–1985 | Elected to 7th Karnataka Assembly (3rd Term)
|
| 1985–1989 | Elected to 8th Karnataka Assembly (4th Term)
|
| 1989–1994 | Elected to 9th Karnataka Assembly (5th Term)
|
| 1994–1999 | Elected to 10th Karnataka Assembly (6th Term)
|
| 1999–2004 | Elected to 11th Karnataka Assembly (7th Term)
|
| 2004–2008 | Elected to 12th Karnataka Assembly (8th Term)
|
| 2008–2009 | Elected to 13th Karnataka Assembly (9th Term)
|
| 2009–2014 | Elected to 15th Lok Sabha (1st Term)
|
| 2014–2019 | Elected to 16th Lok Sabha (2nd Term)
|
| 2020–Present | Elected to Rajya Sabha (1st Term)
|
Personal life
Kharge married Radhabai on 13 May 1968; they have 2 daughters and 3 sons.[7][32] Kharge is a polyglot and can speak English, Hindi, Urdu, Kannada, Telugu and Marathi.[33] His son Priyank Kharge is an MLA from the Chittapur assembly constituency,[5] and his son-in-law Radhakrishna is an MP from Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency, Kharge's former seat in the Lok Sabha.
Kharge is a practicing Buddhist.[34][35][36][37][38] He is the Founder-Chairman of Siddharth Vihar Trust that has built the Buddha Vihar in Gulbarga, India.[39] He is also a patron of the Chowdiah Memorial Hall, a concert and theater venue in Bangalore. He helped the centre get over its debts and aided the centre's plans for renovation.[40]
See also
- List of presidents of the Indian National Congress
- 2022 Indian National Congress presidential election
References
- ^ "Kharge, who started as labour leader, becomes new Congress chief by beating Tharoor who speaks fine English". India Today. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ Aggarwai, Mithil; Frayer, Janis Mackey (4 June 2024). "India hands PM Modi a surprise setback, with his majority in doubt in the world's largest election". NBC News. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ Poharel, Krishna; Lahiri, Tripti (3 June 2024). "India's Narendra Modi Struggles to Hold On to Majority, Early Election Results Show". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Mallikarjun Kharge suffers first electoral defeat in his career". The Economic Times. 23 May 2019. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Escaping Blaze at 7 to Congress Chief at 80 Mallikarjun Kharges Firefighting Continues Son Recounts Journey for News18". 19 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ "Mallikarjun Kharge officially takes charge as 1st non-Gandhi Congress president after 24 years". 26 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Detailed Profile". Government of India. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Early life of Kharge". Press Journal Kharge. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ Phukan, Sandip (3 June 2014). "Mallikarjun Kharge consecutive win". NDTV. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ "Know about the New Congress President - Mallikarjun Kharge". Indian National Congress. 29 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Gulbarga SC Election Results". www.elections.in. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Sonia picks Mallikarjun Kharge over 'unwilling' Rahul as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha". The Indian Express. 3 June 2014. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ Joshi, Bharath (12 June 2020). "H D Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge elected unanimously to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ "Kharge to be Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha". The Hindu. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ a b "How two states slipped out of the Congress under Mallikarjun Kharge's 'observation', while a third one is on the line". India Today. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ "Highlights: Newly-elected Cong president Kharge to take charge on Oct 26". Hindustan Times. 19 October 2022. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ "Mallikarjun Kharge officially takes charge as 1st non-Gandhi Congress president". mint. 26 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ Menon, Aditya (19 December 2023). "INDIA Bloc Meeting: Why Mallikarjun Kharge is Right Choice as PM Face But..." TheQuint. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "INDIA bloc meets and sulking members in aftermath: A consistent saga in 4 parts". India Today. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Mysore Legislative Assembly Election, 1972". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election, 1978". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election, 1983". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election, 1985". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election, 1989". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election, 1994". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election, 1999". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election, 2004". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 12 January 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ "Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election - 2008". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ "General Election 2009". Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 12 January 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "General Election 2014". Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "General Election 2019". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "Personal life of Mallikarjun Kharge". Business Standard. 3 June 2014. Archived from the original on 3 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ "Mallikarjun Kharge takes the Congress reins". India Today. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "'Kharge Is Wrong': How PM Modi And His Govt Have Promoted Buddhism through Governance And Diplomacy". News18. 26 April 2024.
- ^ https://newsriveting.com/buddhism-follower-mallikarjun-m-kharge-has-many-seconds-to-his-name/
- ^ Babu, Venkatesha (30 September 2022). "Ten lesser-known facts about Mallikarjuna Kharge". BusinessLine. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
- ^ Naqvi, Saba. "Kharge's election and the elite commentariat". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
- ^ Rajendran, Sudipto Mondal,Dhanya (18 April 2024). "Mallikarjun Kharge's Ism: An Ambedkarite manifesto for the Modi years". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "About Buddha Vihar, Gulbarga". Buddha vihar Gulbarga. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
- ^ "A grand bow to the arts". The Hindu. 1 July 2005. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011.
External links
Portals:
India
Biography
Politics
- Mallikarjun Kharge – official profile at India.Gov.in
- Know about the New Congress President -Mallikarjun Kharge at Indian National Congress Website
| Lok Sabha | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Iqbal Ahmed Sarandi | Member of Parliament for Gulbarga 2009–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister of Labour and Employment 2009–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Railways 2013–2014 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee 2005–2008 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Leader of the Indian National Congress in the Lok Sabha 2014–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha 2021–2022 | Vacant |
| Preceded by | President of the Indian National Congress 2022–present | Incumbent |
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