Narendra Modi wishes Rahul Gandhi 'fruitful tenure' as Congress president, Rahul thanks PM

The CEA received a total of 89 nomination papers proposing Rahul Gandhi's name for Congress chief.

Pic courtesy: Twitter/@INCIndia

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Rahul Gandhi on his elevation as Congress president and wished him a fruitful tenure.

I congratulate Rahul Ji on his election as Congress President. My best wishes for a fruitful tenure. @OfficeOfRG

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2017

The Congress leader thanked the PM for his good wishes.

Thank you for your good wishes Modi ji. @narendramodi — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 11, 2017

Rahul was elected unopposed as the Congress chief, party's central election authority head Mullappally Ramachandran announced on Monday.

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

He will collect the certificate formally declaring his ascension to the post on December 16, Ramachandran told reporters in the national capital.

"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.

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

Before Rahul, other members of the family who occupied the post of Congress president were Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia.

The family was at the helm of the Congress's affairs after independence for at least 38 years - Jawaharlal Nehru for more than three years, his daughter Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi for eight years each, and Sonia Gandhi for a record 19 years.

(With PTI inputs)