Sonia Gandhi at the Congress helm again

Agencies

New Delhi, 04 September 2010: The heavy downpour that converted the manicured lawns of the Congress headquarters here into an ankle-deep slushy mess on Friday did not deter party acolytes from celebrating the start of Sonia Gandhi’s record fourth consecutive term at the head of the party.

 

As crackers went off incessantly for more than an hour before the brief ceremony at which Ms. Gandhi was formally announced elected unopposed — in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, ministers and party functionaries — slogan-shouting party workers almost drowned out her few words of acceptance.

 

Absent from the ceremony was son and general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who was on a tour of his constituency, Amethi: he had taken a break on Thursday when he had flown in for a few hours to file a nomination on Ms. Gandhi’s behalf.

 

 

The burden of Ms. Gandhi’s speech, delivered in Hindi, was that her party colleagues should not forget the “immense responsibility” of working for all sections of society, irrespective of whether the party was in power or not. She thanked party leaders and workers for bestowing the responsibility of leadership on her again.

 

She was sure that the party cadres would always keep the Congress flag flying high.

 

After the ceremony, Ms. Gandhi mingled with senior party leaders and accepted their bouquets and other offerings. A combination of rain, poor organisation and security made many party workers leave the party precincts with the flowers they had brought for their leader.

 

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi shows the certificate of declaration of her election as the new president of the Congress as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh looks on in New Delhi on Friday.