Mallikarjun Kharge Biography, Age, Partner, Family, Career Net Worth and More 2026

Mallikarjun Kharge is a big name in Indian politics. He’s currently the President of the Indian National Congress. He also leads the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. That’s a really big deal. He’s been in politics for ages. He’s had so many important jobs. This shows he’s a total powerhouse in Indian politics.

He was born on July 21, 1942. That was in Varawatti, a small place in Karnataka. He grew up in a simple family. He studied law. Then he started his own legal firm. Soon, he got into serving people. His politics really kicked off in the 1960s. That’s when he joined the Indian National Congress. For years, he was an MLA for his area in Karnataka. While he was there, he also had many minister roles. He even led the Opposition in the state assembly.

In 2009, Kharge went into national politics. He won a seat in the Lok Sabha. He represented the Gulbarga area. When the UPA government was running things, he was the Minister for Railways. He also looked after Labour and Employment. Later, in 2020, he was chosen for the Rajya Sabha. Soon after, he became the Opposition Leader in that big Upper House. A big moment for him came in October 2022. He was picked as the President of the Indian National Congress. This was a first! He was the first person outside the Gandhi family to get this top job in more than twenty years.

Recently, Mallikarjun Kharge has been very busy. He’s been doing election campaigns and working in Parliament. Just last March 2026, he shared the Congress party’s “five promises.” These were for the upcoming elections in Assam. These promises were all about women’s well-being, better health, and land rights. He also called out the BJP government in Assam. He said they were corrupt. Around then, Kharge was talking about a special Parliament meeting. He joined other opposition leaders. They asked when it would happen. They also wanted some changes to the Women’s Reservation Bill. Also, in early March 2026, he worried about the government. He felt they weren’t handling the West Asia situation well. He also thought it might hurt India’s energy supplies. Before all this, way back in October 2025, he had a heart surgery. He got a pacemaker. He was 83 then. Everyone thought he’d be back to work very soon.

Early Life and Family

Mallikarjun Mapanna Kharge was born on July 21, 1942. His birthplace was the village of Varawatti. It’s located in the Kalaburagi district, which used to be called Gulbarga, in Karnataka, India. He comes from a Dalit family. His parents were Mapanna Kharge and Saibavva. His early life was very hard. Sadly, he lost his mother and sister in a fire. This happened during the tough Razakar troubles in the Hyderabad State. Even with all these troubles, Kharge kept going. He studied really hard. He finished school at Nutan Vidyalaya in Gulbarga. Then he got his B.A. from Government College, also in Gulbarga. After that, he got his law degree from Seth Shankarlal Lahoti Law College. Yes, that was in Gulbarga too! Kharge is married to Radhabai Kharge. They have five kids together. One of their kids, Priyank Kharge, also became a politician. He’s an MLA in Karnataka right now.

Mallikarjun Kharge Career

Mallikarjun Kharge’s political career really got going in the 1960s. He joined the Indian National Congress then. He first got into the Karnataka Assembly in 1972. He represented the Gurmitkal area. He did something amazing. He won nine elections in a row from that same place. This really made him a big deal in state politics. While in Karnataka politics, Kharge held many important jobs. He was Minister for Education, Home Affairs, and Water Resources. He also led the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly from 1996 to 1999.

In 2009, Kharge switched to national politics. He was chosen for the Lok Sabha. This time, he was from the Gulbarga area in Karnataka. He led the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha from 2014 to 2019. But he lost the general election in 2019. That was sad. But he was chosen for the Rajya Sabha in June 2020. In February 2021, he was named the Opposition Leader in the Rajya Sabha. A very big moment in his career came in October 2022. He was picked as the President of the Indian National Congress. He took over from Sonia Gandhi. Most recently, he’s been campaigning in Assam. This was for the 2026 assembly elections. There, he rolled out the Congress party’s five promises. He’s also a strong voice in Parliament. He takes part in many talks about national issues. This includes the LPG crisis. Also, the planned changes to the Women’s Reservation Bill in March 2026.

Rumours and Gossip

Mallikarjun Kharge has been in politics for a long time. His career has been quite clean. But recently, people online have been talking. They are discussing how he makes decisions. This is true especially since he’s the Congress President. Some whispers say that even though he’s the top boss, the real power still sits with older party leaders like Sonia Gandhi. Of course, this is just talk. It’s flying around in politics and on social media. There’s no real proof for it. People often say his public words and actions are well-planned. They match the party’s main ideas. That’s pretty normal for any party president, honestly.

Controversies

Mallikarjun Kharge has faced some hard questions. Especially about things he’s said in public. In early April 2026, a Delhi court actually threw out a request. Someone was trying to get a police report filed against him. They said he made hate speech and defamed people. Kharge defended himself. He said his comments were just political talk. He made them during an election rally in Karnataka. He said free speech protected his words. He didn’t mean to stir up hate or insult any group. He strongly said his words were political. They did not need a police investigation. This whole thing really shows how heated political talk gets. Especially during elections.

Wife

Mallikarjun Kharge and Radhabai Kharge have been married for many years. Their wedding day was May 13, 1968. They’ve built a life together. They have five kids. One of their kids, Priyank Kharge, followed his dad’s path. He’s an active politician too. He’s an MLA for the Chittapur area right now. He’s also a Cabinet Minister in the Karnataka government.

Net Worth 2026

As of early 2026, Mallikarjun Kharge’s declared wealth is about ₹20.12 crore. This number is from his latest election papers. He filed them back in 2020. This total is split. Roughly ₹17.49 crore is in property. About ₹2.63 crore is in other things. Among his properties is a house in Bengaluru. It’s a big one, 7,000 square feet. He also owns another house in Gulbarga. It’s 3700 square feet. Reports also talk about big property investments. These are in Bangalore, Gulbarga, and Delhi. Also, there are hints he might be involved in sugar mills. And other family businesses. But their exact values are not always public. One source did say his total wealth was around ₹29.68 crore back in 2020.

Social Media Table

FAQs

Question: What does Mallikarjun Kharge do in politics now?
Answer: He’s the President of the Indian National Congress. He also leads the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

Question: When was Mallikarjun Kharge born?
Answer: He was born on July 21, 1942.

Question: What was the big talk about Mallikarjun Kharge in March 2026?
Answer: In March 2026, Kharge went to court. He defended his words. People said he made hate speech. He said his comments were just political.

Question: Who is Mallikarjun Kharge’s wife?
Answer: His wife is Radhabai Kharge.

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