Will he, will he not: Cong's Rahul dilemma

New Delhi: Will he, will he not? That is the question on every Congress leader's mind as Rahul Gandhi has still not indicated whether he is ready to take on the mantle of party president.

Congress' Central Election Authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision-making body, will decide the date of the election of president and the exact schedule.

"The list of delegates (who will vote) is ready. From our side, we are ready, it is the CWC that has to decide the date," he told PTI.

Most party leaders, including those known to be close to Gandhi, are unable to say with confidence whether he would give into the demands of workers and contest the party presidential poll or not.

Sources said his stand of not taking on the mantle of party president was unchanged till a few days ago.

A senior party leader said most people in the party want Rahul Gandhi to become president again but there have been no indications from him that he has changed his stance on the issue.

 A school of thought is also emerging from within the party that in case Rahul Gandhi does not agree to become president, Sonia Gandhi should continue at the helm.

In that case she could be assisted by a couple of senior leaders in the day-today functioning who may be given an official role like that of working president, a senior leader said.

There will be clarity on the issue within the next week, the leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Political commentator Rasheed Kidwai said in India the election to the post of president of parties across the spectrum is not as democratic as it seems to be.

"In the case of the Congress, the person now elected will be the president till 2027. The second issue is that with what the Opposition has said vendetta politics taking place and Enforcement Directorate raids, party leaders feel the Gandhis cannot be left to fend for themselves. If one of them remains at helm it becomes difficult to orchestrate such actions against them," Kidwai told PTI.

 As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, he has given the right kind of reasons for not accepting the post and there is also a sort of anti-dynastic mood in the nation so that makes him a "weak candidate" Kidwai Added.

Some people think that it may be best that Sonia Gandhi continues at the helm and around two-three working presidents are appointed, he said.

Manindra Nath Thakur, an Associate Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre for Political Studies, said the Congress is facing a "catch 22 situation".

"Sonia Gandhi is on her way out, she has health issues. The problem with Rahul Gandhi is that the moment he becomes party chief he would be the target of attacks from rivals and the family does not have a trusted man like Manmohan Singh. That is the big problem facing the party," Thakur told