Rahul Gandhi officially named Congress president, to take over on December 16

Ending years of speculation, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was on Monday officially declared as party President in Delhi.

The announcement was made by Congress’ Central Election Authority  (CEA) chairperson Mullapally Ramachandran.

The party CEA said that Gandhi will officially take over the duties of the Congress President from December 16, after being given the certificate at the All India Congress Committee office in Delhi.

M Ramachandran, chairperson of the CEA called the occasion "historic".

The announcement came after the deadline to withdraw nomination papers ended at 3 pm on Monday.

The internal poll was a one-horse race from the beginning with Gandhi the only one to file nomination, which was supported by 89 signatures.

While pageantry would herald the dawn of a new era in the party which has ruled the country for over half-a-century since Independence, the 47-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family will face the daunting task of restoring lost glory to the party whose fortunes have been dwindling in the recent past.

The election of Rahul Gandhi to the top position of the party also ends the 19-year reign of Sonia Gandhi as the party president.

Speaking to CNN News18, Member of Parliament (MP) from Assam and Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said, "This is a new day and a new beginning for Rahul Gandhi. He will take us away from the fractured path of Narendra Modi and BJP. Today starts another era for the Congress Party".

Media reports quoted former union minister and senior party leader M Veerappa Moily said that outgoing Congress president Sonia Gandhi will continue to play an effective role and guide the destiny of the party.

Rahul has now become the sixth member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to take over the party's top post after Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.