Sonia Gandhi inaugurates new Congress headquarters in Delhi

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday (January 15) opened the new party headquarters in New Delhi with modern facilities but said it will retain the old one which it has had for almost half a century.

The new state-of-the-art headquarters – Indira Gandhi Bhawan – is located at 9A Kotla Road.

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After party leaders hoisted the party flag and activists sang the Vande Matram and the national anthem, Sonia inaugurated the building, asking party president M Mallikarjun Kharge to join her in cutting the ribbon.

‘Key moment in history’

A Congress leader said the event marked a "key moment in the history of the party", which was founded in 1885 and is one of the world’s oldest political parties.

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Besides Kharge, the event was attended by former party president Rahul Gandhi, general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi and KC Venugopal as well as a host of party leaders.

"It is time for us to move ahead with the times and embrace the new,” Venugopal had said earlier.

Delayed construction

The construction of the Indira Gandhi Bhawan was started when Sonia was the president of Congress.

But work on the building was delayed by several years owing to paucity of funds ever since the Congress lost its government at the Centre in 2014.

"The Indira Gandhi Bhawan is designed to meet the evolving needs of the party and its leaders, featuring modern facilities to support administrative, organisational and strategic activities,” the party said.

Retain old office

"This iconic building reflects the Congress party's forward-looking vision while paying homage to its extraordinary past, which has shaped the political and social fabric of India."

Congress sources have said the party will not vacate its present 24, Akbar Road office, which has been its headquarters since 1978 after the Congress (I) was formed. It will continue to house some party cells.

Congress leaders say that modern amenities and a larger area are the need of the hour.

The Akbar Road bungalow once housed Sir Reginald Maxwell, a member of Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's executive council. It was also home to a teen Aung San Suu Kyi when her mother was ambassador to India.