Rahul Gandhi likely to be elevated as Congress chief in October

New Delhi: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is likely to be elevated as party chief at the culmination of party's organisatonal polls in October, party sources said on Tuesday. They said Congress President Sonia Gandhi may step down ahead of Rahul's likely elevation. The party on Tuesday released a schedule for the organisational elections whic

The schedule was released after a meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party. But the Congress faced a series of electoral reverses after its debacle in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, in which Rahul Gandhi was the party's lead campaigner.

Even as the party has faced mounting electoral challenges, its poor electoral run has led to repeated speculation about the timing of Rahul Gandhi's elevation.Party sources said Rahul Gandhi's likely elevation will mark a generational change as it prepares for the the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The likely elevation will be weeks before the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat where the Congress faces tough challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Elections of block Congress chiefs, members of District Congress Committees and members of Pradesh Congress Committees has to be concluded by September 4.

The elections of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Executive panel of District Congress Committees has to be completed by September 15 and that of these posts in the Pradesh Congresss Committees (PCC) by October 15.

Elections of All India Congress Committee members by the respective PCCs and of the Congress President also has to be concluded by October 15. According to the schedule, members of the CWC will be elected by AICC members at the party plenary, for which dates will be decided later.