Randeep Surjewala: 99.9% leaders want Rahul Gandhi to become party president

The Congress party will soon start its process of electing a new chief and "99.9 per cent" leaders want Rahul Gandhi to become party president, its top spokesperson said Friday.

Over the next 10 days Sonia Gandhi will hold meetings with senior party leaders as part of the process, beginning today said Randeep Surjewala.

"The party will soon start the procedure to elect a new party president. An electoral college of Congress, AICC (All India Congress Committee) members, Congress workers and members will choose who's best suited," Mr Surjewala said.

He added: "99.9% of people including me want Rahul Gandhi to be elected as party president." The final decision is his.

Rahul Gandhi, who took over as Congress president from Sonia Gandhi in 2017, quit last year after the party's national election debacle, its second since it lost power in 2014.

Rahul Gandhi's resignation played out in dramatic scenes at the Congress as leader after leader tried to persuade the 50-year-old to change his mind but failed. After weeks of limbo, Sonia Gandhi - who headed the Congress for 19 years -- agreed to return as interim chief.

Sources say Rahul Gandhi has all but ruled out his return as Congress president.