Rahul Gandhi Might Be 1st Choice For Cong. Party Chief

Mr. Gehlot and Mr. Tharoor also in League

Ahead of choosing the Cong. Party convener, earlier, the report said that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot could be running for the president post of Congress, sources close to the chief minister said that Rahul Gandhi is his first choice for the top party post.

Ashok Gehlot is one of the closest party members to the Gandhi family, and Shashi Tharoor, who got the nod for the Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, has emerged as the top contender for the office of the party chief in case Rahul Gandhi decides not to enter the fray.

According to sources close to the Rajasthan Chief Minister said that he is "trying to persuade Rahul Gandhi" to contest rather than his nomination.

The rumours circulated ahead of the selection of the new Cong. chief. Moreover, the report said Mr. Gehlot is a leading choice for the party's president post in the election scheduled to be held on October 17, the result of which will be declared on October 19. The speculation gained traction after Mr Gehlot met Sonia Gandhi at her residence in the national capital a few weeks ago, in which, according to the sources, the Congress interim president had asked him to be prepared for the poll to decide the party chief.

"Ashok Gehlot says that rather than thinking of running for Congress President he is trying to persuade Rahul Gandhi to do so. He remains a loyal soldier of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi," the sources said.

However, Mr. Gehlot has maintained a distance from any such reports by refraining from making comments when asked whether the election would have a long-term impact on his politics in Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor is a candidate of the G-23 group within the party to contest the poll. He garners the support of several MPs as along with him, five other MPs had written a letter to Congress central election authority chairman, Madhusudhan Mistry demanding that electoral roles should be made available to all.

Despite that, Mistry had responded by stating that it will not be made public, but anybody willing to contest can access the electoral role from his office from September 20.

The Congress party has completed the internal election process by August 20. The party had announced that the election for the post of president will be held between August 21 and September 20.