M A I N   N E W S

Sonia re-elected Cong chief
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 3
Sonia Gandhi was today re-elected the Congress President for fourth consecutive term. The ceremonial announcement was made by Congress Central Election Authority (CEA) chairman Oscar Fernandes, a mere formality since no one else chose to contest for the post.

Sonia’s unopposed re-election as the Congress president was a foregone conclusion from the word go and even though there were no surprises lined up, Congress men and women landed up in large numbers at the party headquarters to register their loyalty to the high command and that too on a rainy day.

Braving the elements of nature, right from lowly party workers to senior Cabinet ministers, they waited patiently for their re-elected party president to make an appearance in a pandal erected for the purpose, not minding either the slush or wet chairs.

While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and CEA members shared the stage with Sonia for her brief appearance for the formal announcement, senior leaders, Cabinet Ministers and chief ministers of states had to be satisfied with cheering her from the sidelines. Later, when she came down from the stage, they all jostled with each other to greet her and present bouquets. And party workers, who could not manage to get inside the heavily guarded 24 Akbar Road, celebrated outside.

In her brief speech she thanked party leaders and workers, telling them that they should not forget the “big responsibility” of working for all sections of society irrespective of whether the party was in power or not.