Rahul Gandhi to take over as Congress president after Nov 19, before Gujarat election

Rahul Gandhi's coronation as Congress president has been deferred for a third time, with sources in the party saying the 46-year-old will now take charge any day after November 19 and before the December 9 Gujarat Assembly election.

Sources in the Congress have told India Today that party chief and Rahul's mother Sonia Gandhi will call a meeting of the powerful Congress Working Committee (CWC) only after November 19, which happens to be the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi - a major landmark for the Congress which has nationwide plans for the day.

The CWC meeting is expected to finalise a schedule for the election of the next president; Rahul's is expected to be the only nomination to be filed, making it a unanimous election within the party.

Sources in the Congress have quoted Rahul as telling his partymen that he will assume the command of his party before the crucial Assembly election in Gujarat, where the Congress vice-president has led from the front by running an aggressive campaign against the ruling BJP.

Sonia, who has had health issues lately, is also reported to have told senior Congress leaders about her plans to let son Rahul take over soon.

Rahul was earlier expected to take over as Congress president before October 31, but the ongoing Gujarat election campaign delayed it. Then, there were indications that he would be coronated in early November, but the Himachal Pradesh election deferred that plan.

VIDEO | Rahul Gandhi speaks to social media volunteers in Banaskantha, reveals who tweets for him