Congress presidential election on Oct 17; filing of nomination to begin on Sept 24

The Congress Working Committee today approved the schedule for the election to the post of party president, with the dates for filing of nominations being from September 24 to 30, and the date of election and counting, if there is more than one candidate, being October 17 and 19, respectively.

The schedule approved by the CWC at its virtual meeting which was chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi overshoots the broad schedule of August 20 to September 21 that had been finalised by the party's top decision making party earlier.

The top party panel took up the schedule of dates as suggested by the Central Election Authority of the AICC headed by Madhusudan Mistry, and the party later said the dates were approved by the CWC unanimously.

The election will be notified on September 22 and the dates of filing of nomination are between September 24 and 30. The date of scrutiny is October 1 and the last date of withdrawal is October 8. The date of election, if needed is October 17 and polling will be held at all state Congress headquarters between 10 am and 4 pm.

The date of counting and declaration of result, if required, is October 19, and votes will be counted on that day 10 am onwards.

The new party president could be announced on October 8 itself, which is the last date of withdrawal of nomination, in case there is only one candidate. The electoral college comprises more than 9,000 delegates.

The meeting to finalise the schedule for the election to the post of party president took place in the shadow of the shocking move by veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to leave the Congress while making a hard-hitting attack at the party leadership, especially former party chief Rahul Gandhi.

The schedule was announced amidst lack of clarity on whether Rahul will return to the helm. It is now widely believed that he continues to be reluctant to make a comeback as party president, and a nominee handpicked by the Gandhi family could be put forth as an official candidate. There has been speculation about Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot being a favourite of the Gandhis to take over as the first non-Gandhi party president in over two decades.

Asked about the reasons for the schedule overshooting the original plan to wrap up the presidential polls by September 21, AICC general secretary in-charge of organisation K.C. Venugopal said there is a delay of only 28 days, and it is due to the party being preoccupied with planning agitations and other programmes as also finalising the list of PCC delegates.

AICC general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh stressed that the CWC was unanimous in giving its approval to the poll schedule, and the meeting did not discuss any other issue except for the finalisation of the dates to elect the new party president.

In the backdrop of the poll schedule overlapping with the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra, which will already be underway and be led by Rahul, in response to a question if the physical presence of a candidate is necessary to file nomination, Mistry replied in the affirmative. The nomination will have to be filed at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.

Ramesh denied there was any difference of opinion with regard to the poll schedule. “No one said anything about extending the dates,” he said.

On the elections overlapping with the Bharat Jodo Yatra and how proper participation of the electoral college would be ensured, Venugopal said, “There will be a proper coordination of president election, Bharat Jodo Yatra and other programmes. Those who want to vote will definitely get an opportunity to vote.”

Meanwhile, reacting to reports of discordant notes with regard to the finalising of the list of PCC delegates, Mistry said, “Those who have raised questions have gone through the same process...

They were, too, a party to it.”

The meeting was attended by all CWC members, permanent invitees, special invitees and the party's two chief ministers – Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel. While some members were physically present at the AICC headquarters, the others, including Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined in virtually.

According to a statement from the party, the CWC also 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 and its continuation thereafter a resounding success. It also extended its best wishes to party chief Sonia for a full and speedy recovery.