The contours of team Rahul Gandhi have begun to emerge as senior leaders, Ghulam Nabi Azad and P. Chidambaram are expected to be appointed as the two vice presidents in the new set-up of office bearers to be announced soon.

Before his elevation as the party president, Rahul Gandhi had held the post of the vice president since 2013 and has functioned as the number two in the organisation.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, a trusted lieutenant of the Gandhi family, is a leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha while former finance minister P Chidambaram, who is spearheading attacks against the Modi government’s economic policies, is also a member of the Upper House.

In line with the talk that team Rahul will have a mix of youth and experience, Haryana leader Randeep Surjewala, who heads the communication department of the Congress, is expected to be appointed as political secretary replacing Ahmed Patel who was a key member of Sonia Gandhi’s inner coterie.

Another senior leader, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, will also get a key position, said sources.

The new team is expected to be announced after the auspicious day of makar sankranti.

The entire structure will be changed giving a new look to the party. Both Azad and Chidambaram are expected to play major role in shaping the political strategy of the party. Before Rahul Gandhi, the post of vice president has been dormant.

Both the core decision-making body – the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) – will be announced.

All the states and regions will get representations in team Rahul Gandhi as all the political combinations will be factored, said sources.

The emphasis is on winning elections as the party is looking to revive its credibility among the voters. The successive defeats of the Congress have brought the focus on overhauling the organisation.

The generational shift in the party leadership will be evident in the new team, said sources, as it will reflect the realities on ground and preparing for the big battle in Lok Sabha election in 2019.

The AICC has 16 general secretaries, 46 secretaries and a joint secretary. The Congress Working Committee has 21 members, apart from nine permanent invitees and five special invitees.