Rahul Gandhi to take over as India's Congress party chief soon

NEW DELHI, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- India's main opposition Congress party President Sonia Gandhi on Friday told media her son Rahul Gandhi will soon take over as the party chief.

"You (the media) have been asking me about Rahul (taking over the party) for a long time. It will be done soon," said Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.

She was speaking on the sidelines of the book launch of former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee.

With Sonia Gandhi stepping down as the party president, Rahul Gandhi, the fourth generation scion of India's powerful Nehru-Gandhi clan, is likely to take over as Congress party chief from his mother after Diwali, reports said.

Rahul Gandhi is now the vice-president of the party.