Rahul Gandhi Set To Take Over Congress As Party Approves Election Schedule

The Congress Working Committee today approved the schedule for party president's election, paving the way for Rahul Gandhi's elevation to replace his mother as the party chief ahead of the crucial Gujarat assembly polls.

The process will start on Dec. 1 when candidates will file nomination for the election. The last date for filing nomination is Dec. 4, until 3 pm. Following scrutiny of nominations on Dec 5, the list of valid candidatures will be released on the same day at 3:30 pm.

Sonia Gandhi has been president of the party for a record 19 years since 1998, when she replaced Sitaram Kesri.

Briefing reporters after the CWC meeting, party spokesman Randeep Surjewala said: “Sonia Gandhi is our leader and mentor. She has always guided the Congress party ... Her able leadership and guidance will always be available, not only to Rahulji, but also to crores and crores of Congressmen and women always.”

Replying to a question on the role of Sonia Gandhi after the election, Surjewala said, "Let the election process be concluded and I will be very happy to answer that question.” Party sources said Gandhi, the 47-year-old vice president, is likely to be the sole candidate in the fray and is "deemed to be the next party chief” on December 5, a few days before the Gujarat Assembly polls. Polling for the two- phase election is to be held on December 9 and 14.

The last date of withdrawal of nomination for the Congress party's presidential election is Dec. 11, and polling will take place on December 16, if more than one candidate is in the fray.

Counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on December 19, Mullapally Ramachandran, the chairman of the Congress' central election authority, told reporters after the meeting of the CWC, which is the grand old party's highest decision-making body.

Those eligible to vote are Pradesh Congress Committee delegates who have already been elected by their respective state units. Once the president is named, he or she will choose a new CWC team comprising vice president, general secretaries and treasurer among other office bearers.

Today's meeting started with the members passing a resolution condoling the demise of CWC member M L Fotedar, who was former prime minister Indira Gandhi's personal secretary. Fotedar died in September this year. After the meeting, the CWC also condoled the death today of its veteran leader and former Union minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

In her opening remarks, Sonia Gandhi launched a stinging attack on the government on a range of issues, including demonetisation, goods and services tax and unemployment.

"The Modi government, in its arrogance, has cast a dark shadow on India's' parliamentary democracy by sabotaging the Winter session of Parliament on flimsy grounds," she told the party's highest decision-making body.

According to party sources, Rahul Gandhi told the meeting that every Congress worker should "aim for the bull's eye" in the upcoming election in Gujarat, where the party is locked in a bitter contest with the BJP after being out of power for 22 years.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and party general secretaries also attended the CWC meeting.

The Election Commission has given the party the last extension for completing the internal poll process by the end of this year.