NEW DELHI: Any decision on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s successor is expected after the end of the Budget Session with the Congress Working Committee (CWC) expected to meet after August 7.
Despite demands, Congress president Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has ruled herself out of the race for the top post.
The matter came up for discussion during a meeting of Congress general secretaries and states chiefs to plan for the 75th birth anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi on August 20.
According to party sources, the CWC could appoint a provisional president for the time being.
Dalit Congress leader Mukul Wasnik seems to be the frontrunner for the post.
Others in the list include Sushil Kumar Shinde, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and young leaders such as Sachin Pilot and Jyotiraditya Scindia.
“I can only say that please wait for the Parliament session to be over and we shall be able to inform thereafter about the date of the CWC meeting,” said Randeep Singh Surjewala, head of Congress communications department.
Replying to a query on the agenda of the CWC, he said that the agenda of the meeting is yet to be decided.
Asked whether Rahul Gandhi would attend it, Surjewala said: “Of course. He is a member of the CWC and he is the Congress president. Naturally, he will be present at the meeting.”
During the meeting, some members asked Priyanka to take the lead but she turned it down saying she should not be dragged into this and would like to focus on reviving the party in Uttar Pradesh, said a senior party functionary.