Congress shares prep 'underway' for party chief election; Rahul Gandhi 'preferred' choice

Putting a decisive end to its leership woes, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala on Friday, said that Congress will soon hold elections to choose its chief, with preparations underway. Highlighting that Rahul Gandhi was preferred successor to his mor, he said that interim-chief Sonia Gandhi will meet and decide on various organisational work in next fortnight. Reports state that Congress will choose its next chief in a digital AICC meeting via electoral college process in January-February 2021.  

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Congress chief elections prep underway

"Congress party has decided to hold elections to post of Congress president and preparations are underway. election will be held as per electoral college. We certainly feel Rahul Gandhi should le from front, final call be his," said Surjewala at a Congress press conference.

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Recent CEA meeting 

In last Congress' Central Election Authority (CEA) meeting, updating party delegates’ list, logistical preparedness and time frame for tifying poll schedule and date of voting were discussed, as per reports. party is set to hold ar Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting before deciding date for elections. Congress aims to elect its chief February and hence Sonia Gandhi is set to meet some of prominent members of 'dissenters', who h written to her demanding an overhaul of party, on December 19-20.

As per reports, CEA is drawing up a voters list of around 1500 AICC delegates and is planning to hold digital elections, marking a first. Though election is for Congress chief, similar to 2017 elections, term of presidency will be only for 2 years. Recently, quashing all internal dissent, after a stormy Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, grand-old party retained Sonia Gandhi as party chief passing a resolution strengning Gandhis' leership and t allowing anyone to undermine party or Gandhis (Rahul and Sonia). 

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Congress president saga

Congress has been in a leership dilemma since Rahul Gandhi quit as party chief in post-Lok Sabha 2019 debacle. This led to a barr of resignations from posts like Milind Deora, Jyotiritya Scindia, Priyanka Chaturvedi and many more. Amidst a lot of turmoil with Priyanka Vra too being considered, Congress finally went back to ir safe option- Sonia Gandhi. Most leers have time and again implored 50-year-old Rahul Gandhi to take back reins of party, but he has t budged. 23 senior leers sought 'structural changes', internal election to CWC even at state levels, formation of an Independent Election Authority, and institutional leership mechanism, full-time leership at helm at party. 

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