Watch: Sonia Gandhi’s Final Speech as Congress President

The Congress will “never bow down,” said Sonia Gandhi, the longest-serving chief of the party.

Sonia Gandhi gives her final speech as the President of the Indian National Congress.

(Photo courtesy: PTI)

"Today is the final time I will speak to you as the president of the Congress,” Sonia Gandhi told the crowd at the party headquarters on 16 December, moments after handing over the reins of the party to her son, Rahul Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi held the post of party president for 19 years, the longest-serving chief of the grand old party. An emotional Gandhi recounted her rollercoaster journey of having led the party through some trying times over the years. Here are highlights of her speech:

On Her Relationship with Indira

Attributing her success and that of the party to her mother-in-law and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, she said:

Indira ji ne mujhe beti ki tarah apnaya aur unse maine bharat ki sanskriti ke baare mein sikha, un usoolon ke baare mein sikha, jin par is desh ki neev dali hai (Indira treated me like a daughter. From her I learnt about the culture and principles that India is founded upon.)

Sonia Gandhi

When she was assassinated in 1984, I felt like my own mother had been snatched away, she said.

On Being the Head of the Congress

Gandhi said that she was nervous and anxious when she was asked to take over the reins of the party, after the assassination of her husband Rajiv Gandhi.

Twenty years ago, when I was elected as Congress President, I was nervous about this new role. I was anxious on how to uphold the heritage of the party. I became part of this family during revolutionary times.

Sonia Gandhi

The Congress has been through some difficult times, she said, adding that despite having lost several elections and being in Opposition since since 2014, the party would “never bow down,” she said.

Hum darne walon mein se nahi hain, jhukne wale nahin hain, humara sangharsh is desh ki ruh ke liye sangharsh hai. Hum isse kabhi peeche nahi hatenge. (We aren’t the type to be afraid or bow down. We are fighting for the soul of this country)

Sonia Gandhi

Congratulating Rahul and wishing him the best for the task ahead, she said: “Rahul is my son, so I do not think for me to praise him is right but I would say that since childhood he had to bear the brunt of violence, after joining politics he had to face blatant personal attacks, that have made him a stronger person”.

Ahead of her speech, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh showered praise on Sonia Gandhi and thanked her for what he called her “magnificient leadership” and contributions to the Congress.