CWC meeting after Parliament Session: Congress

There could be some clarity on Congress president Rahul Gandhi's successor after the ongoing session of Parliament concludes next week.

A meeting of the Congress Working Committee is expected to be held after the conclusion of the Budget Session of Parliament on August 7, more than two months after Rahul announced his desire to quit as Congress president, plunging the party into crisis.

“Congress Working Committee meeting will be held after the Parliament session ends,” Randeep Singh Surjewala, in-charge of the AICC Communication Department told reporters here.

Surjewala did not specify the agenda for the CWC meeting but at the same time, dismissed suggestions that there was a lack of clarity on the Congress president.

“Rahul Gandhi continues to be the Congress president and he will surely attend the CWC meeting,” he said.

Since Rahul's offer to quit as Congress president at the CWC meeting on May 25 and the subsequent statement asserting his intent to step down, had sent the party into a tailspin with several leaders deserting it to join the BJP or its allies.

Congress leaders have been holding informal parleys to discuss the probable successor to Rahul but appear to be divided on handing over the leadership role to a veteran leader or a to a younger person.

Several names such as Mallikarjun Kharge, Sushilkumar Shinde, Mukul Wasnik, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot have been doing the rounds as probable successors to Rahul. A section of the leaders have also favoured Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the next leader, an option ruled out by Rahul at the May 25 CWC.

The Congress is considering appointing an interim president who could call for organisational elections or setting up a presidium comprising about a dozen leaders to run the party.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor have pitched for a younger leader as the next party president.