Rahul Gandhi elected as Congress president

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi has been elected unopposed as Congress president thereby ending his mother Sonia Gandhi's 19-year tenure as the party president.

Party's central election authority head Mullappally Ramachandran today announced that Rahul Gandhi will collect the certificate formally declaring his ascension to the post on December 16.  The 47-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family was the lone candidate in the fray.

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