Process to elect Rahul Gandhi as Congress president starts today

As Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is busy campaigning for the forthcoming Gujarat Assembly poll, the much-awaited process for election of Congress president takes off today with notification for the same.

The last date for filing of nominations is December 4, till 3 pm.

The nominations will be scrutinized on December 5. The same day, the list of valid nominations will be published.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 11. Later on the same day, the final list of the candidates contesting the election will be published.

If necessary, polling will be held on December 16. The votes will be counted and result will be declared on December 19.

However, despite the elaborate election schedule, the result will be out much in advance on December 4 itself, in case Rahul is the only candidate nominated.

The Congress may announce Rahul's election as Congress president on December 4 or latest at 3.30 pm on December 5 when the list of valid nominations will be out.

He will replace his mother Sonia Gandhi, who has held the Congress president's post for over 19 years, the longest by any leader.

CAMPAIGNING IN GUJARAT POLLS

With this, Rahul will campaign as Congress president for three to four days ahead of the first phase of Gujarat election, which will be held on December 9. Campaigning will come to an end in the evening of December 7.

However, he can continue canvassing for the Congress candidates whose constituencies go to polls on December 14, the date for second phase of voting.

As campaigning comes to an end on December 12, Rahul will altogether campaign as Congress president in Gujarat election for about a week.

WINTER SESSION OF PARLIAMENT

Rahul's election as Congress president comes also close to the winter session of Parliament which commences of December 15.

If Rahul is declared as the party chief on December 4 or 5, he will take part in Parliament's forthcoming session as the Congress president.