New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, the rising star of Congress, was greeted with a loud applause when he came in queue behind several MPs to congratulate his mother Sonia Gandhi, shortly after she was unanimously elected leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP).

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Attired in spotless white kurta-pyjama, he presented a rose to Sonia much to the delight of the battery of photographers in the Central Hall of Parliament.

Rahul, who won from Amethi Lok Sabha seat with an impressive margin of over two lakhs, stole the limelight ahead of the Sonia Gandhi's election as members made a beeline to greet him.

Warms hugs, shakehands, anga vastrams and bouquets came his way as he slowly moved towards the front benches where he sat next to former minister Jagdish Tytler, who won from Sadar constituency in the capital.

Rahul, 34-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, repeatedly stood up in respect as new and old members walked up to him to felicitate him.

Senior Congress leaders Arjun Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Manmohan Singh and Karan Singh were among those who went to greet the Harvard-educated Rahul, a graduate from St Stephens College who earlier worked in London as a financial consultant to an investment bank.

Shouts from the shutterbugs to pose in front of them drew little response from Rahul, who currently owns a computer consultancy firm in New Delhi.

Rahul was somewhat surprised when MP from Gujarat Irshad Baig after congratulating him suddenly shouted "Sonia Gandhi zindabad" with raised hands.