The party headquarters, 24 Akbar Road which houses the All India Congress Committee head quarters in New Delhi wore a festive look as counting of votes started, after 11.00 am. Ballot boxes from the PCC headquarters all over the country which had arrived in the party office the previous day were opened in the presence of the counting officials and the votes were mixed as per the desire of Mr. Jitendra Prasada. While counting was going on inside, the party headquarters were sealed against the entry of visitors and outside the Congress supporters gathered in thousands carrying placards hailing the leadership of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. Two elephants richly decorated and a stallion were brought to the scene by supports who danced to the tune of melodious music that reverberated 24 Akbar Road. Enthusiastic crowds milling all over and yet very disciplined enthusiastically raised slogans in support of the Congress and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi as they waited for the election result to be announced. Rarely in the past such scenes of jubilation were witnessed at the election of the Congress president in the past. The results came before the desk and the crowds jumped in joy. The media was told of the results first. It was followed by an impromptu meeting in the grounds of 24 Akbar Road where AICC secretary, Mr. Anil Shastri broke the news to the thunderous applause of the packed ground. Then it was the turn of the Central Election Authority Chairman, Mr. Ram Niwas Mirdha, to formally disclose the voting figures and declare Mrs. Sonia Gandhi president of the party. Mr. Mirdha ceremoniously handed over the certificate of election to beaming Congress president. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi in a brief speech thanked the voters and the partymen for the support they extended. She underlined the need to strengthen the party at all levels. Later, talking to journalists, she said she would plunge into action right away and disclosed that she had called a meeting of the Congress Chief Ministers on 18th November to take stock of their performance and to exchange ideas on formulating a new socio-economic strategy for the party. She said, she would unveil a new agenda for the party at the forthcoming AICC session. To repeated questions on Mr. Prasada, she said she saw nothing wrong in his contesting. "He has done nothing wrong, he was well within his right to do what he did." On the re-entry of the former Congressmen, she said, "I will go by the wishes of the Congress workers. They have made their opinion clear."