Historical Event on 2/2/1958

Family tradition still counts for something in Indian politics. Indira Gandhi, the only daughter of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the granddaughter of a statesman, has been elected president of the Congress party in India. Mrs. Gandhi will be installed into her new office next Sunday, and her job is not expected to be an easy one. The Congress party has been wracked by internal dissension and has been on the verge of collapse. It is hoped that Mrs. Gandhi, who is 41, will breath some new life into the party. Most of the politicians who have been arguing about the future of their party and country are fairly old. Mrs. Gandhi, who is known for her leftist sentiments, is expected to act quickly to put her own mark on party policies.