'Pandit' Rahul Gandhi

The Congress national headquarters at 24, Akbar Road has regained its buzz. On Monday, as the party prepared to announce Rahul Gandhi (pictured) as its president-elect (he is expected to officially take charge of the Congress on December 16), dozens of Congress supporters gathered outside to celebrate.

Traffic police swung into action to stop plying of vehicles on the road to prevent congestion. Billboards congratulating Gandhi cropped up on the roundabouts leading up to the party office. Congress leaders took to social media to congratulate their new chief. 

Some office-bearers of the Haryana unit of the Congress party went a step further and wished “Pandit Rahul Gandhi”. The honorific can now be prefixed with some justification after Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Gandhi was a “janeu-dhari” — sacred thread wearing — Hindu.