Newly elected Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, on Wednesday, in his first media address as party president, thanked outgoing party chief Sonia Gandhi, and promised to work together with Rahul Gandhi.
"I want to thank Sonia Gandhi on behalf of all party workers. Under her leadership, we formed our govt in the Centre twice," Kharge said.
He said he wants to congratulate Shashi Tharoor as well, adding, "I met him and discussed how to take the party forward."
We all have to work like workers of the party, nobody is big or small in the party, Kharge said.
"We have to unitedly fight against the fascist forces that are attacking the democratic institutions under the garb of communalism."
Kharge will take charge on October 26.
Meanwhile, Kharge's son Priyank Kharge said his father will strengthen the party by consulting everyone and give preference to the Congress workers.
"We have to build the party at the grassroots level, encourage our cadre and have to work beyond our capacities to ensure that the governments are formed in various states. (His) challenges are very clear and his directions are very clear. The process of building the party will be consultative and the workers will get the preference," Priyank told reporters in Delhi when asked about the challenges before the new party president in the context of the crucial assembly elections in Karnataka, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
Tharoor, meanwhile, called the win of Kharge the "victory of Congress." "Called on our new President-elect Mallikarjun Kharge to congratulate him & offer him my full co-operation. Congress has been strengthened by our contest," Tharoor tweeted along with pictures of his meeting with Kharge.