Mallikarjun Kharge beat off competition to become the first non-Gandhi chief of the Indian National Congress (INC) in over 20 years on Wednesday.

Counting of votes took place for the elections to the top post in the Congress party earlier today, at the end of which, Kharge emerged victorious.

The veteran Congress leader was up against Shashi Tharoor in the elections after another stalwart and Gujarat Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot backed down from running.

Kharge will take over from Sonia Gandhi who has been the interim president of the party since Rahul Gandhi left the post.

He secured 7,897 votes against Tharoor's 1,072 votes in the run-in to the top post in Congress party.