Mallikarjun Kharge

Mallikarjun Kharge
Kharge as the Union Minister for Railways in February 2014
1st Chairman of the
Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance
Assumed office
13 January 2024
Preceded byPosition established
National President of the Indian National Congress
Assumed office
26 October 2022 (2022-10-26)
Preceded bySonia Gandhi (interim)
14th Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha
Assumed office
16 February 2021
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Vice President
Deputy
Preceded byGhulam Nabi Azad
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Assumed office
12 June 2020
Preceded byRajeev Gowda
ConstituencyKarnataka
Personal details
Born
Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge

(1942-07-21) 21 July 1942 (age 82)
Warwatti, Bidar District, Hyderabad State, British India
Political partyIndian National Congress
Spouse
Radhabai Kharge
(m. 1968)
Children5, including Priyank Kharge
Residence10, Rajaji Marg, New Delhi
Alma mater
Occupation
Websiteindia.gov.in/mallikarjun-kharge
Prior political offices
Leader of the Indian National Congress in Lok Sabha
In office
4 June 2014 – 23 May 2019
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Preceded bySushilkumar Shinde
Succeeded byAdhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Union Minister of Railways
In office
17 June 2013 – 26 May 2014
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Preceded byC. P. Joshi
Succeeded byD. V. Sadananda Gowda
Union Minister of Labour and Employment
In office
29 May 2009 – 16 June 2013
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Preceded byOscar Fernandes
Succeeded bySis Ram Ola
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
31 May 2009 – 23 May 2019
Preceded byIqbal Ahmed Saradgi
Succeeded byUmesh. G. Jadhav
ConstituencyGulbarga, Karnataka
24th President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee
In office
2005–2008
AICC PresidentSonia Gandhi
Preceded byJanardhana Poojary
Succeeded byR. V. Deshpande
Minister of Home Affairs, Government of Karnataka
In office
1999–2004
Governor
Chief MinisterS. M. Krishna
15th Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly
In office
5 June 2008 – 26 May 2009
GovernorRameshwar Thakur
Chief MinisterB. S. Yediyurappa
Preceded byN. Dharam Singh
Succeeded bySiddaramaiah
In office
19 December 1996 – 7 July 1999
GovernorKhurshed Alam Khan
Chief MinisterJayadevappa Halappa Patel
Preceded byB. S. Yediyurappa
Succeeded byJagadish Shettar
Minister for Cooperation & Marketing, Government of Karnataka
In office
1992–1994
GovernorKhurshed Alam Khan
Chief MinisterVeerappa Moily
Minister of Revenue & Stamps, Government of Karnataka
In office
1990–1992
Governor
Chief MinisterBangarappa
In office
1980–1983
GovernorGovind Narain
Chief MinisterR. Gundu Rao
Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly
In office
2008–2009
Preceded byVishwanath Patil Hebbal
Succeeded byValmiki Naik
ConstituencyChittapur
In office
1972–2008
Preceded byN. Yenkappa
Succeeded byBaburao Chinchansur
ConstituencyGurmitkal

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 began his career in state politics, serving as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Gurmitkal Assembly constituency from 1972 to 2008 and from Chittapur Assembly constituency from 2008 to 2009. Kharge served as the leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 1999, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee from 2005 to 2008, and as a minister in many portfolios under various chief ministers.

Kharge joined national politics when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Gulbarga, Karnataka, serving from 2009 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. He was also a general secretary of the All India Congress Committee, incharge for Maharashtra, from 2018 to 2020. He was also the chairperson of Public Accounts Committee in 16th Lok Sabha from 2016 to 2019. After being elected a member of the Rajya Sabha for Karnataka in 2020 following his defeat in the 2019 Indian general election, he defeated Shashi Tharoor in the 2022 Indian National Congress presidential election to succeed Sonia Gandhi. Under his presidency, the Congress gained 99 seats in the 2024 Indian general election, forming the official opposition for the first time since 2014.[2][3] He is a close ally of the Gandhi family.[4]

  1. ^ "Kharge, who started as labour leader, becomes new Congress chief by beating Tharoor who speaks fine English". India Today. 19 October 2022. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63252922

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