Next Congress chief: All eyes on CWC meet, Rahul Gandhi says 'happy that Cong is under pressure' & makes tiger analogy

new Congress president will be appointed within next few days after consultations with state leaders of party, sources said ahead of crucial CWC meeting on Saturday.

top Congress leadership held a meeting with its state unit chiefs and leaders of its state legislature parties, along with its general secretaries and in-charges, where y were told by Rahul Gandhi that re was thing to worry as regards selection of new party chief, who would be appointed within next few days after wider consultations, sources said.

Rahul Gandhi also told leaders that he was happy to te that party was under pressure to select its new chief and drew an analogy with a tiger, which maintained its ferocity under pressure.

"I am happy that Congress is under pressure and this will jolt Congress into action," Gandhi is learnt to have told party leaders.

Big Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday Morning

A meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC) will be held on Saturday morning to select new party chief, after Gandhi quit post.

sources said Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chiefs, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders and departmental heads present at meeting were told to hold back till Saturday for consultations on selection of new party chief.

party general secretaries, in-charges and or CWC members would be asked to hold consultations in groups with PCC chiefs, CLP leaders and departmental heads separately and come out with a consensus as regards name of new Congress president, y added.

One of PCC chiefs from a rrn state told meeting that certain names doing rounds for party president's post were being propped up by vested corporate interests, sources said.

PCC chief said fact that names of such leaders, who had enjoyed corporate patron in past, were being projected was bringing a bad name to party and this should be resolved at earliest.

meeting was held at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj road "war room" of Congress to discuss government's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 of Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate state into two Union territories.

sources said Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha,  informed leaders at meeting about government's action in Jammu and Kashmir and told m about party's position on issue.

He also told m about CWC resolution deploring manner in which government took decision on Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, senior party leaders Azad, P Chidambaram, chief ministers of Rajasthan and Puducherry -- Ashok Gehlot and V Narayanasamy -- were present at meeting among ors.

Pre-CWC meeting at Sonia Gandhi's residence

Earlier in day, senior Congress leaders met Sonia Gandhi at her residence here, ahead of Saturday's crucial CWC meeting to decide on new party chief.

Sources said senior leaders Ahmed Patel, A K Antony and K C Venugopal were learnt to have discussed with Sonia Gandhi certain names of probables, one of whom could be made provisional president of party.

names of senior Congress leaders Mukul Wasnik and Mallikarjun Kharge and some younger leaders are doing rounds for top post.

CWC might also form a panel of senior members to look for new party president, sources said.

Congress leaders impatient for new chief

Meanwhile, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said any furr delay in selection of new party chief was t an option.

"On Saturday, a consensus builder party President of Congress must be selected. Slightest delay is t an option," he wrote on Twitter.

"In lighter vein, I gave analogy of wise men of Vatican locked in a room indefinitely until y got a mination! Subsequently, it has to be followed by full intra party elections," Singhvi added.

A number of partymen have expressed ir opinion in public, saying delay in selecting new Congress chief is harming party.

Some Congressmen also made a call for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to take over from her bror Rahul Gandhi, who quit as party chief on May 25 post Congress's poor show in Lok Sabha polls.