CWC: Roadmap for Rahul's elevation announced

New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today approved the schedule for election of the next party president, paving the way for the elevation of Rahul Gandhi. Party sources said the process of the election will start on December 1 with the issuing of the notification.

The 47-year-old Rahul Gandhi is expected to take over the reins in the first week of December, ahead of Gujarat Assembly elections starting December 9, the sources said. The all-important meeting of the CWC, the highest decision making body of the Congress, approved the schedule.

The meeting was chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and attended by top party leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, and party general secretaries. Rahul Gandhi is expected to be the only candidate in the fray, the sources said.

The party’s organisational election has to be completed before December 31. The Election Commission has given the party the last extension for completing the internal poll process by the end of this year.