Festive season for Cong after Sonia re-election

Sep 04, 2010 - Mukesh Ranjan |

New Delhi

It was festivity all around at the AICC headquarters here on Friday, with party enthusiasts dancing to drumbeats and bursting firecrackers to make the formal announcement of Sonia Gandhi’s election to the post of Congress president memorable.

With the rains playing spoilsport, the arrangement at the AICC headquarters went haywire as rainwater poured into the specially-erected tent with ankle deep water on the ground. The bad weather, however, failed to deter the enthusiasts who came in thousands and jostled with senior leaders to get into the heavily-guarded premise, as besides Mrs Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also scheduled to be present on the occasion. Senior Congress leaders and ministers in the UPA government struggled their way in the surging crowd.
The first to reach the AICC main gate was party general secretary B.K. Hari Prasad along with minister of state for railways K.H. Muniyappa. They struggled for a while and then decided to retreat, as they could not reach up to the main gate. Even senior party leader Digvijay Singh was seen waiting and convincing the security personnel to allow him to enter the premise.
Later came minister of state for labour Malikarjun Kharge and minister of state for petroleum Jitin Prasada, whose father unsuccessfully contested against Mrs Gandhi for the top party post in 2000. They too had similar fate, as they could not reach the main gate. Later their supporters took them in through the back door.
Last among the ministers who arrived at the venue was home minister P. Chidambram.

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