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Highlights: Rahul Gandhi takes over as Congress President
Sonia Gandhi had been at the helm of the country's oldest party for 19 years.
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Photo: Twitter/INCIndia It's a new beginning for the Congress. Rahul Gandhi has officially taken over as Congress president with Sonia Gandhi Gandhi stepping down from the post after 19 years. The generational shift in the party ends the speculation that has been going on within the party over when Sonia will hand over the baton of the party to her son.
As it happened:
Rahul Gandhi meets Congress members, for the first time as party president.
The official coronation ceremony ends amid national anthem being played at the event. Cheers, crackers, and applause for Rahul continue.
Rahul Gandhi: I accept this position knowing that I will be working in the shadow of the giants
Rahul Gandhi: In the 13 years I have served in politics, I have had the honour of learning from my elders - from Manmohan ji, Sonia ji, others on stage and all my friends present here
Rahul Gandhi: We consider the BJp our brothers and sisters even though we do not agree with their politics. They want to remove us but we want to include her. We believe in moving forward with love and affection
Rahul Gandhi: We fight together, we fight for those who can't fight alone
Rahul Gandhi: If there is anyone who can stop what the BJP is doing, it is the 'pyara karyakarta & neta' of Congress. We will fight the politics of anger
Rahul Gandhi: The voice of the Congress will be heard across the country in the coming days
Rahul Gandhi: We will make Congress a grand-old-new party, taking the old and the new generation forward together
Rahul Gandhi: We are now being compelled to imagine that businesses can be built without harmony that only one man himself is the voice of reason. Expertise, experience and knowledge can be cast aside for personal glory
Rahul Gandhi: Many of us are disillusioned by politics of our time. Today, politics is devoid of kindness and truth
Rahul Gandhi: The Congress took into India into the 21st century but the PM today is taking us back in time.
Rahul Gandhi: Politics today is devoid of nationalism. Politics today is not being used to lift the people up but to crush them
Rahul Gandhi: Like many others, I am an idealist. I joined the party 13 years ago
It's the Rahul Gandhi era now! Rahul speaks for the first time as Congress President
Sonia Gandhi ends her last speech as Congress President by saying Jai Hind
Sonia Gandhi: It is almost a lifetime that I have spent as Congress President in the last 20 years. For all that you have done for me, I thank you all, with all my heart.
Sonia Gandhi: I have full faith in Rahul. He has witnessed a lot of violence and I am proud of how he has been able to come out of it
Sonia Gandhi: With Rahul taking charge, I am sure he will be successful in bringing new and positive changes
Sonia Gandhi: There is a sense of negativity and fear that is being created in the country. At such a time, we will all have to be ready to make sacrifices for the betterment of the country.
Sonia Gandhi: We are not among those who get dejected by defeat. We are the caretakers of the values on which the foundation of the country is based.
Sonia Gandhi: Indiraji accepted me as her own daughter
Sonia Gandhi: In my initial years as party president, I tried to maintain the unity of the Congress
Sonia Gandhi: Lakhs of Congress members have helped me and supported through all ups and downs that I faced in this journey
Sonia Gandhi: I had to take charge of the party due to the unfortunate demise of Indiraji and Rajiv ji. It would have been a huge disrespect on my part to Indiraji and Rajiv ji if I would have refused to enter politics.
Sonia Gandhi: My connection with politics when I took over 20 years back was only personal then. I got married to Rajiv Gandhi and came into this revolutionary family
Sonia Gandhi: My connection with politics when I took over 20 years back was only personal then. I got married to Rajiv Gandhi and came into this revolutionary family
Sonia Gandhi: 20 years ago, when you chose me to be the party president, I was standing here to address you. I was extremely nervous, my hands were shaking. I could not imagine how I will be able to handle the affairs of the party.
Sonia Gandhi: Today, I am addressing you all for the last time as Congress President
Sonia: I congratulate Rahul for taking over as Congress chief. All my love and blessings are with him
Manmohan Singh: Now that Soniaji is handing over reins of the party to Rahul, we salute her for uniting the leadership, something that she has been doing since 19 years. Rahul brings a new sense of dedication and commitment as party president
Sonia Gandhi felicitated for her contribution to the party
Manmohan Singh: Soniaji has taken some historic decisions during the 10 years that UPA was in power
Manmohan Singh: I have been fortunate to be a part of the party and have served as the PM for 10 years under the guidance of Sonia Gandhi
Manmohan Singh congratulates Rahul Gandhi. recalling Nehru's letter to Indira Gandhi, he says "One should not be sentimental but one should be full of sentiments."
Rahul Gandhi handed over the certificate of Congress President, a new era in Congress begins
#FLASH Rahul Gandhi takes charge as Congress President, handed over the certificate for taking over. pic.twitter.com/DQW9q76zEv
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Official ceremony begins. Vande Mataram being played with Sonia, Rahul and Manmohan Singh present on stage.
Rahul Gandhi reaches Congress office. Take-over ceremony to begin shortly.
Rahul Gandhi & Sonia Gandhi arrive together at AICC HQ for Rahul Gandhi's swearing in as Congress President. pic.twitter.com/cYk9jYJlyF
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Congress workers march from Rail Bhavan to All India Congress Committee office at 24, Akbar Road
Manmohan Singh, Priyanka Gandhi, Robert Vadra reach Congress office
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra & her husband Robert Vadra at AICC for Rahul Gandhi's swearing in ceremony as the President of Congress Party #Delhi pic.twitter.com/ejJAGr6x7S
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Mohsina Kidwai, Senior Congress leader: This decision will help the party strengthen. This is not about dynastic politics. People want this family to continue.
Mohsina Kidwai, Senior Congress leader: Every leader faces challenges. Rahul is fully capable to take handle the affairs of the party
Rahul leaves for Congress office to officially take over as party chief.
Rahul Gandhi leaves from his residence for AICC HQ, will be taking charge as Congress President #Delhi pic.twitter.com/85OF4nXv5X
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
The taking over ceremony will continue for an hour where Sonia, Manmohan Singh will address Congress workers. Rahul will also give his first speech as Congress President today.
Rahul Gandhi's main challenge is of revamping of the party organisation apart from electoral battles in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Artists perform outside the Congress headquarters
More visuals from Congress Headquarters, Congress leaders arriving ahead of Rahul Gandhi's takeover as Congress President. pic.twitter.com/Tk7yyiIiGN
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Rahul Gandhi has been working as the party Vice President for over four years since 2013.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, current and former chief ministers, MPs, senior Congress leaders, and all PCC chiefs and delegates will be present at the handing over ceremony.
The 47-year-old formally takes as Congress president just two days before the counting of votes for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, the outcome of which is expected to be a trendsetter ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
Security has also been hiked to control the outpour of Congress workers at the Congress headquarters and his residence as well.
Delhi: Artists performing outside Congress Headquarters, ahead of Rahul Gandhi's takeover as Congress President. pic.twitter.com/53pas1ggvL
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Similar scenes can be witnessed at Rahul Gandhi's resident too. He will be leaving for the Congress office shortly to formally take over the charge of the party at 11 am.
Delhi: Dance being performed as supporters gather outside Rahul Gandhi's residence 12, Tughlak Lane, ahead of his takeover as Congress President. pic.twitter.com/LLqsJGda6V
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Celebrations are in full swing at the Congress headquarters. party workers had been calling for Rahul's elevation for several years now.
Visuals from outside Congress HQ in Delhi; sweets brought in, supporters continue to celebrate & raise slogans ahead of Rahul Gandhi's takeover as party President. pic.twitter.com/e62Fgumr7t
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Supporters & party workers burst crackers & raise slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi outside Congress HQ at Delhi's Akbar Road, ahead of him taking over as the party president. pic.twitter.com/gM4ZXhrI2c
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017
Gearing up for the big day in Congress, posters and hoardings have been put up in the area around the AICC headquarters in Delhi.
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