News

Rahul Gandhi files nomination for Congress President post; Modi mocks it as Aurangzeb Raj

by India Blooms News Service 04 Dec 2017, 09:02 am

New Delhi/ Ahmedabad, Dec 4 (IBNS) : Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday filed his nomination for the party president's post,coming close to his elevation which Prime Minister Narendra Modi jeered as :Aurangzeb Raj," reports said.

The 47-year-old leader is likely to take over the mantle from his mother, Sonia Gandhi, without contest.

Senior Congress leaders, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were present, when Gandhi filed his nomination paper at the party headquarters.

 The last date for filing nominations is December 4. 

According to reports, Rahul was the lone candidate till he filed his nomination.

Present Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister  Manmohan Singh are  the proposers for Rahul's elevation.

Meanwhile, while addressing a rally in Gujarat’s Dharampur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said  Rahul Gandhi’s nomination for the post of Congress president is an indication of ‘Aurangzeb Raj’.

"Mani Shankar Aiyar said that ‘did elections happen during Mughal rule? After Jehangir, Shahjahan came, was any election held? After Shahjahan it was understood Aurangzeb will be the leader’. So Congress accepts its a family party? We don’t want this Aurangzeb rule," Modi said.

Earlier, while interacting with media in New Deli, Manmohan  Singh had said: "Rahul's (likely) elevation is another step by the Congress party to serve the nation."

"Rahul will carry forward the tradition of the Congress party" the former PM added.

Sonia, who took over the Congress helm in May 1998, is the longest serving president of  the party.

Rahul took over as Vice President, the number two position,  in January 2013.

The Congress will be heading towards the polls in the Gujarat Assembly election in December as it is aiming to oust the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.