Congress President poll process begins next week but still suspense on candidates

New Delhi, Sep 15

With the process for the Congress Presidential polls opening with the issue of notification in the next week, there is still suspense over the candidates who are going to file nominations for the party's top post.

While sources say that G-23 group is gearing up for fielding a candidate and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor is the top choice, for loyalists, it is Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

However, sources say that Gehlot is reluctant to leave the Chief Ministership, then, in that scenario, former Union Minister Mukul Wasnik could be fielded or may be Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge as both the leaders belong to the Scheduled Caste community.

The nominations can be filed between September 24 and 30 and the election is slated for October 17.

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi has indicated that he is not going to contest and busy with the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The G-23 have been pushing for publication of the voters list and now the party's Central Election Authority has said that it will be available from September 20, for those who want to contest, while the state PCCs will also have the list of delegates.

Gehlot had emerged as front runner, being seen as choice of interim chief Sonia Gandhi, even as some want the return of Rahul Gandhi - with Gehlot too proposing his name.

The last time the election was conducted for the Congress President's post was in 2000 when Jitendra Prasada had challenged Sonia Gandhi but lost.

--IANS