Congress to elect its chief on October 17

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 28

Facing serial defections, the Congress on Sunday announced that the election for its president would be held on October 17 in case of a contest even as G-23 leader Anand Sharma questioned the sanctity of the electoral rolls.

The CWC chaired by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi met in a virtual mode under the shadow of veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad’s departure and unanimously approved the election schedule with nominations to be filed between September 24 and 30. October 8 would be the last date for the withdrawal and the party president would be known the same day if a single nominee is left in the fray.

The poll schedule has been pushed back by 29 days. The CWC had last year approved the August 21-September 20 window for the election.

The Tribune has, meanwhile, learnt that before Chairman of the Congress Election Authority Madhusudan Mistry presented the poll schedule to the CWC today, Anand Sharma questioned the sanctity of the electoral rolls. He asked if the due process laid down under the Congress Constitution had been followed in preparing the voter list. Sharma’s questions came after Azad, in his resignation letter to Sonia two days ago, called internal polls a “giant fraud”. Sharma flagged complaints about no meetings being held to finalise the electoral rolls and the delegate list (voter list) not being made available to block, district, and state units. Sources said Sharma, who recently resigned as Himachal Congress steering panel chief, also demanded that the lists be made public. In response, Mistry said anyone contesting the poll as well as the state units would be given the list which, he said, had been signed by the party’s returning officers.

Facing questions on the sanctity of the poll process, the Congress insisted it was the only party in India which conducted elections for the top post. AICC general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said, “The Congress is the only party in the country which holds such elections. Elections for the Congress president’s post have been held in the past, are being held now and will continue to be held.”

Party general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal said: “Anyone could contest for the post of Congress president.” It is an open election, Venugopal said. On Azad’s accusations, Mistry noted that “those raising questions went through the same system and were party to it.”

With the finalisation of the schedule today, efforts have resumed to persuade former chief Rahul Gandhi to lead the party even though he remains reluctant. The party is also looking for an acceptable non-Gandhi to contest if Rahul declines for good.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot remains a frontrunner. AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijay Singh are among the other probables for the job.

Within the family, it remains to be seen if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra can make the cut, with sources noting that Sonia Gandhi has always been very clear about the line of succession (from her to Rahul).

In a statement later, the Congress said, “The CWC reiterated its resolve to make the Mehangai Par Halla Bol rally in New Delhi on September 4 and the launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari on September 7 a success.”

Last poll in 2017

• Nearly 9,000 PCC delegates to vote in state headquarters
• In 2017, Rahul Gandhi was chosen unanimously
• If single nominee is left in the fray, then the president will be known on Oct 8

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