Rahul Gandhi set to take over Congress' reins on December 16

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi is likely to assume the reins of the Congress on December 16, marking a generational shift in the grand old party when his mother and its longest-serving president would formally hand over the baton to him.

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.

Today, the party, which once controlled almost the entire country, has its governments in just five states and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The announcement of Rahul Gandhi's elevation, however, is likely to be made on Monday, the last date of withdrawal of nomination for the election of the Congress president which is a one-horse race.

Altogether 89 nominations received in his favour were found to be valid during scrutiny.

The Congress Central Election Authority chairman Mullapally Ramachandran and CEA members Madhusudan Mistry and Bhubaneswar Kalita will announce that Gandhi's was the only nomination for the top job on Monday.

Rahul Gandhi would, however, be handed over the certificate appointing him the party president on December 16 in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders, Ramachandran said.

Sonia Gandhi will officially hand over the mantle of the 132-year-old party to her son around 11 am after which Rahul Gandhi will meet leaders from across the country at the Congress's headquarters, party sources said.