Rahul Gandhi may take charge as Congress chief on October 30

HYDERABAD: There are indications that the election of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi as party chief is likely to be announced on October 26, soon after organisational elections the same day, sources in the party highcommand said. Rahul may take over the party's reins+ from his mother Sonia Gandhi on October 30.

Congress has put a plan in place in Telangana to regroup itself in the hope that it will help build much-needed momentum for the party nationally, taking a leaf from its performance when Andhra Pradesh was a unified state, which contributed to the formation of UPA-II. The party hopes to resurrect itself in Telangana with the high-profile entry of TDP working president Anumula Revanth Reddy in the presence of Rahul on November 9, most probably in Delhi.

An upbeat Congress is making all-out efforts to make Revanth's joining a big event to extract maximum mileage. The party is now confident the latest development will change its fortunes in the state.

"The working president of a political party (Telangana TDP) is joining Congress. This will send a clear message to people that Congress will storm to power in the next elections. There is no doubt our combined efforts to topple the dictatorial TRS government will fructify in 2019," Mallu Ravi, vice-president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, told TOI.