CWC clears schedule for Rahul elevation as Cong President before Gujarat poll

Rahul Gandhi will become the president of Congress Party in early December, before the Gujarat Assembly poll.

A meeting of the Congress Working Committee headed by Sonia Gandhi on Monday approved the schedule placed before it by the party's central election authority (CEA) for the election of new Congress chief.

The CEA chairman Mullappally Ramachandran later announced at a press conference that nomination papers for the Presidential candidate will be filed from 1 to 4 December. The scrutiny and announcement of valid candidates will be announced on 5, December. This means if only Rahul Gandhi is found to be in the fray, announcement about his election can be made on the same day, 5, December.

Only in the unlikely scenario of more than one candidate, the rest of the schedule - 11, December for withdrawal of candidatures and voting on 16, December -- will have any relevance.

Once elected, Rahul Gandhi will formally assume office at an AICC plenary session later.

The overwhelming feeling of senior leaders is for Sonia Gandhi assuming a mentor's role from then, especially in overseeing the coalition management of Congress in the run up to the next Lok Sabha polls.