Rahul Gandhi took over as Congress president today from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who led India's oldest party for 19 years. The 47-year-old, who has for years been seen as a reluctant politician but has lately shown signs of shedding that image, took charge in a ceremony on the lawns of the party's 24 Akbar Road headquarters in Delhi. Images of Mahatma Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh beamed on a banner behind him as he accepted the takeover certificate after the traditional "Vande Mataram". Sonia Gandhi and the former prime minister were also on the stage with him.
