Its official! Rahul replaces Sonia Gandhi as Congress Prez

New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was on Monday elected unopposed to the post of the party president, making a generational change within the party. He will replace his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who held the party reins for a record 19 years.Making the announcement, Chairman of the Central Election Authority Mullapally Ramachandran said it was a "historic occasion’’.

He said Mr Gandhi will take over the reins of the party on December 16 at 11 am at the party headquarters on 24 Akbar Road when he would be handed over the certificate appointing him the party president in the presence of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders.Mr Ramachandran said he was happy to inform that they were able to complete the election process in the stipulated time frame set by the Election Authority.Never did Mr Rahul Gandhi or Mrs Sonia Gandhi intervened in the election process, he said.

Since after the last date of withdrawal, Mr Rahul Gandhi was the only candidate in the fray for the post of Congress president, he would be the next party president. Today was the last day for withdrawal of candidature for the post of congress president.The process for election for congress president kick started on December 1 with issuance of notification.

December 4 was last date for filing of nominations while December 5 was the date for scrutiny.Altogether 89 nominations received in his favour were found to be valid during scrutiny.The announcement of his election as congress president comes three days ahead of voting for second phase of polling for Gujarat assembly elections.(UNI)