Difference is BJP spreads fire and Congress douses it, says new Congress chief Rahul Gandhi

The same took place during an official ceremony in party headquarter in the national capital

Rahul officially takes charge as Congress President / ABP News image

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi officially took over as chief of the Congress party on Saturday, from his mother Sonia Gandhi who headed the country's oldest party for 19 years. The same took place in an official ceremony in party headquarter in the national capital. The ceremony began at 10:30am. LATEST UPDATES: 

• We consider the BJP as our brothers & sisters, but we do not agree with them. They (BJP) crush voices but we allow them to speak, they defame we respect & defend
• We are going to make Congress Grand old young party, I am inviting youngsters to come & join us. We will fight with love
• Congress has taken country to 21st century, but PM is taking it medieval age.
• The objective of BJP is to spread fire and ours is to douse flames. Ek baar desh mein aag lag jaati hai toh usko bujhana mushkil hota hai, isko rokne ke liye sirf ek shakti hai woh hai Congress party ka pyaara karyakarta aur neta: Rahul Gandhi
• People today are being killed for what they eat: Rahul Gandhi
• "Joined politics 13 years ago for my profound belief in this country" says Rahul Gandhi
• "I learnt that the moment you stand in the favor of poor, you are attacked" says Rahul Gandhi
• "They can only defeat us if we back down, we in Congress will never back down" says Rahul Gandhi

• "I came into politics considering the challenges in front of the party after Rajeev's and Indira Gandhi's demise" says Sonia Gandhi
• "I have full faith in Rahul's capabilities" says Sonia Gandhi

• Now that Sonia Ji is handing over reins of the party to Rahul ji we salute Sonia Ji for uniting the leadership, something that she has been doing since 19 years. Rahul Ji brings a new sense of dedication & commitment (as party president) :Manmohan Singh at AICC

• Rahul Gandhi officially takes charge as Congress President
• Massive celebration underway outside Congress office
• Rahul Gandhi reaches 24 Akbar Road, Congress office for elevation ceremony

• The name plate of Congress President's office change to Rahul Gandhi's name

• "Rahul Gandhi will take people forward on the basis of capabilities" says Congress leader Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia

• Priyanka Gandhi, Robert Vadra reach Congress office
• Party workers from all over the country reach Congress office, burst crackers and celebrate by dancing
• Massive preparation underway at Congress office, sweets being prepared

The entire process will be completed after the Central Election Authority president Mullapally Ramachandran hands over the Certificate of Election to the newly-elected president of the Congress. His mother Sonia Gandhi on Friday announced that it was time for her to retire, triggering immediate speculation about her future plans. The Congress party sought to quell it saying she has only retired from the party chief's role and not from politics. She also added that Rahul Gandhi has been playing an active role in the last three years. The 47-year-old Rahul Gandhi formally takes over the reins of the grand old party two days before the counting of votes for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, the outcome of which could be a trendsetter ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, current and former Chief Ministers, MPs, senior Congress leaders, and all PCC chiefs and delegates will be present at the handing over ceremony. Gandhi had been the party Vice President for over four years since 2013. Rahul's main challenge remains the revamping of party organisation, apart from electoral battles in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.