If no other “active member” of the Congress decides to contest the election to the post of party president, Rahul Gandhi, the party’s vice-president and son of incumbent Sonia Gandhi, will be “elected” as its next chief on December 5.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Monday approved the proposal submitted by the Chairman of the party’s Central Election Authority, Mullappally Ramachandran, to hold the poll, if necessary, on December 16. The date of notification will be issued on December 1. The last date to file nominations is December 4. The scrutiny and publication of the candidates’ list will be done on December 5.

When asked, a top Congress leader told BusinessLine the party does not expect anyone else to contest for the post.

“If there is only one contestant, the election authority may announce the name of the new president on December 5,” the leader said.

The party apparently wants an announcement before December 9, the first phase of Gujarat Assembly polls. If there is a contest, the election will be held on December 16 and the counting will take place on December 19.

There are more than 9,000 members in the electorate to elect the Congress president. Since the process of internal polls could not be held in six States facing Assembly elections — including Gujarat, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh — about 7,000 Congress members are eligible to vote.

Sonia’s new role The Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala did not repond to a question on Sonia’s role after the polls. “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,” he said. “She will take a decision soon,” another leader said.

Thanking Ramachandran and his team for completing the task of holding elections in the grand old party, Sonia said at the CWC meet that the process has provided an opportunity for the party to interact with its workers across the country, starting from the booth level.

Sonia became the president of the Congress in 1998, succeeding Sitaram Kesari. She is the longest serving president of the party.

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