As Cong prez polls near, Sonia Gandhi summons top party leader to Delhi: Report
Congress presidential election: Voting - assuming there is more than one candidate - to replace Sonia Gandhi has been scheduled for October 17, with results due October 19.
Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi has summoned general secretary KC Venugopal to Delhi, sources told news agency ANI Tuesday. Venugopal was in Kerala as part of the GOP's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' - headlined by Rahul Gandhi - but received an urgent call to return to the party HQ as talk grows of a Shashi Tharoor v Ashok Gehlot run-off in next month's election.
Tharoor, a former union minister and part of a group of senior leaders who have called for a 'full-time' president - is seen as a confirmed candidate for the top post - which has been held by a Gandhi family member for nearly 25 years now.
Gehlot, the Rajasthan chief minister and a Gandhi family loyalist, is expected to run against Tharoor, although sources say he prefers Rahul Gandhi returns.
Rahul Gandhi quit the post in 2019 (he took over from Sonia Gandhi) after the Congress' disastrous showing in the Lok Sabha election that year.
Sonia Gandhi returned as an 'interim' chief but has been in charge since.
READ | Cong prez polls: Tharoor v Gehlot to replace Sonia? Rahul a dark horse?
Gehlot has frequently defended the Gandhi family from criticism, including that by dissenting leaders, and on Saturday the Congress' Rajasthan unit passed a resolution - as have six other state units - urging Rahul Gandhi to return.
READ | 'Rahul Gandhi as Congress chief' - Ashok Gehlot passes resolution
Both Gehlot and Tharoor have visited Sonia Gandhi in the past few weeks; Tharoor did so Monday, hours after he endorsed a petition calling for reforms.
Sonia Gandhi is believed to have assured Shashi Tharoor that '(a) genuine election will be held and anyone who wants can stand for president'.
READ | Shashi Tharoor visits Sonia Gandhi, assured of 'fair elections'
Party leader Jairam Ramesh underlined that promise this morning, stating 'nobody needs anybody's nod (to contest)… especially party leadership'.
The election has been scheduled for October 17, with results due October 19.
With input from ANI
