Congress set to re-elect Sonia as party president

New Delhi: Sonia Gandhi, 63, is set to be chosen president of the ruling Congress for the fourth time, with all party office bearers nominating her for the post yesterday.

If nominated, Sonia will become the longest serving party president in the 125-year history of the Congress.

Central ministers, party general secretaries, chief ministers of Congress-ruled states and Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs submitted the nomination papers with Sonia's name at the party headquarters here, sources said.

Among them were Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, veterans Motilal Vora and K. Karunakaran.

Before the submission of the nomination papers, Sonia gave her consent to being re-elected to the post at her 10 Janpath residence.