India’s opposition party Indian National Congress is set to choose a non-family member as its next president as it struggles to recover before key upcoming elections. Nominations for the post of Congress president closed at 3 pm on September 30. (Image: AP and ANI)

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge filed his nomination for the post of Congress president at the party office in Delhi. (Image: AP)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also filed his nomination for the topmost position. After filing nomination for Congress President post said, "I've a vision for Congress which I'll be sending to all delegates, we're going to seek their support... I'm here to be the voice of all party workers". (Image: AP)

Jharkhand Congress leader KN Tripathi also filed his nomination for the party’s topmost position and said that “the decision of party leaders is respected”. (Image: ANI)

The party delegates will vote on October 17 and the results will be declared on October 19. With no member of the Gandhi family - Sonia, Rahul or Priyanka - running for the top post this time, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years. (Image: AP) (With input from agencies)

In Pics | Congress presidential polls: Shashi Tharoor, Mallikarjun Kharge, KN Tripathi file nomination papers

India’s opposition party Indian National Congress is set to choose a non-family member as its next president as it struggles to recover before key upcoming elections. Nominations for the post of Congress president closed at 3pm on September 30.