The election of the Congress president that was to end by September 20 is likely to be delayed by a few weeks with the party focused on the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” and some State units not completing formalities, AICC sources said. The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision-making body, will hold a virtual meeting on Sunday to approve the exact schedule of dates for the election.
Congress had announced in October last year that the election of the new party president will be held between August 21 and September 20 this year.
The CWC had decided that elections for block committees and one member each of Pradesh Congress Committees will be held from April 16 to May 31, district committee chiefs will be elected between June 1 and July 20, PCC chiefs and AICC members between July 21 and August 20, and AICC president between August 21 and September 20. Sources said the process will be delayed by a few weeks, not more than that, and the party should have a full-time president in October.
The delay was due to the focus of the party on the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir starting September 7 and some state units not completing formalities for the polls in time, they said.
Several leaders, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, have been publicly exhorting Rahul Gandhi to return as the party chief. However, uncertainty and suspense continue on the issue. Several party insiders say Rahul Gandhi is persisting with his stance that he will not be the AICC president. Gehlot on Wednesday sought to play down reports about him being the frontrunner for the Congress president's post and said efforts will be made till the last minute to persuade Rahul Gandhi to take over the reins of the party again.
Gehlot's remarks came a day after he met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, triggering the buzz that the two may have discussed possibility of him being next party president.