Rahul Gandhi Elected Unopposed as Congress President, to Take Over on Dec 16

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Monday was elected unopposed as Congress president.

Rahul will collect the certificate formally declaring his ascension to the post on December 16, party's central election authority head Mullappally Ramachandran told reporters.

The 47-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family was the lone candidate in the fray. Rahul succeeds his mother Sonia Gandhi, who remained in the post for 19 years.

The CEA received a total of 89 nomination papers proposing Rahul Gandhi's name for the top post. All the nomination papers were found to be valid, Ramachandran said.

"Since the withdrawal of date/time is over and as there is only one candidate (Rahul), as per Article XVII (d) of the Constitution of Indian National Congress, I hereby declare Shri Rahul Gandhi elected as president of the Indian National Congress," Ramachandran said.

Rahul became the vice-president of the party in January 2013.

Following his coronation, the party cadre broke out in celebrations break outside Congress headquarters here. Several Congress leaders congratulated Rahul. “Rahul Gandhi is an able leader. I am sure we are going to the Gujarat elections,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told CNN-News18.

"This is a new day and a new beginning for Rahul Gandhi. He will take us away from the fractured path of the Modi and BJP. Today starts another era for the Congress Party," party leader Gaurav Gogoi said.

Some leaders took to Twitter to Congratulate Rahul over his elevation.

With Agency inputs