The stage is set for Rahul Gandhi to take charge of the Congress party. Today Rahul will file the nomination and is the last day. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will announce the election of its next president soon.
While Sonia Gandhi has led the party for 19 years, there is no word on her role after Rahul’s elevation. The 19-day election process, timed with the Gujarat elections, will begin on December 1. However, the picture will become clear on today itself, when the window for filing nominations gets over.
If there is no other candidate in the fray — the party expects no such challenge — Rahul’s election is likely to be announced either on December 5, after the scrutiny of papers, or on December 11, the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
Either way, his elevation as Congress president is likely to be announced before the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly results on December 18.
In one way this is an election and the other way it is a selection. No one filing the nomination against Rahul itself says that it is a controlled election.
U.Srinivas
Editor
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