Narendra Modi: Rahul Gandhi's reign will be 'Aurangzeb Raj'

In a generational shift at the top in the Congress, Rahul Gandhi is all set to take over as party president next week after he filed his nomination papers on Monday for the post amid opposition jibes over dynasty politics in a contest with no one else in the fray. The 47-year-old Gandhi, who will be the sixth Nehru-Gandhi scion to helm the party, filed papers at the Congress headquarters here amid cheers and celebrations by party leaders and workers. His mother and incumbent party president Sonia Gandhi signed the first nomination paper for election of her son. Among the proposers was former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who called Rahul Gandhi the "darling" of the party. Singh accompanied Gandhi when he filed the nomination paper.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi being garlanded by party workers after he filed his nomination papers on Monday. Pic/PTI

In all over 90 sets of nominations were said to have been filed supporting Gandhi before the deadline expired at 3 pm on Monday. The last date for withdrawal is December 11, when he may be declared elected since there is no contest. Scrutiny of the nomination will take place on Tuesday. However, the filing of nomination was not without controversy stoked by remarks of senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, who invoked the Mughal dynasty in the Congress presidential election that Prime Minister Narendra Modi latched on to quickly to call it "Aurangzeb Raj".

"When Shah Jahan came in the place of Jahangir did any election happen? And when Aurangzeb came in place of Shah Jahan did any election happen? It was known to everyone that the throne of the king will automatically go to the heir," Aiyar said, retorting to the "dynasty" jibes of the BJP on Rahul Gandhi's election. "But in a democracy elections are held. I openly invite (Shehzad) Poonawala to file the nomination and contest," Aiyar said, adding has anyone heard of Poonawala earlier