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

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

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Congress chief elections prep underway

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

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Recent CEA meeting 

In the last Congress' Central Election Authority (CEA) meeting, updating party delegates’ list, logistical preparedness and time frame for notifying the poll schedule and date of voting were discussed, as per reports. The party is set to hold another Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting before deciding the date for the elections. Congress aims to elect its chief February and hence Sonia Gandhi is set to meet some of the prominent members of the 'dissenters', who had written to her demanding an overhaul of the 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 the election is for the Congress chief, similar to the 2017 elections, the term of the presidency will be only for 2 years. Recently, quashing all internal dissent, after a stormy Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the grand-old party retained Sonia Gandhi as party chief passing a resolution strengthening the Gandhis' leadership and not allowing anyone to undermine the party or the Gandhis (Rahul and Sonia). 

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Congress president saga

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

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