Congress president has five-year term now

NEW DELHI - Congress Sunday amended its constitution to extend its party president’s term to five years from the current three.

The amendment was moved at the 83rd Congress plenary in Burari by senior leader Oscar Fernandes and approved by other party leaders.

The amendment to its constitution says the polls for the party president’s post will now be held after every five years. So far, the elections were held after every three years.

The amendment at the 83rd Congress plenary comes after Sonia Gandhi was re-elected party president in September, making her the longest-serving chief of the 125-year-old party.

Senior Congress leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A.K. Antony, party general secretary Rahul Gandhi and other All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders, are participating in the marathon meet on the outskirts of the capital.