Sonia to remain interim chief: Cong

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday said Sonia Gandhi will continue as interim president till such time a "proper procedure" is implemented in the "not too distant future" to elect a party chief. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, during an online media briefing, said it was true Sonia Gandhi's tenure as interim chief comes to an end on August 10, one year after she assumed the post, but it did not mean the seat automatically falls vacant that day.

"Sonia Gandhi is the president, she will continue till such time as a proper procedure is implemented and it will be implemented in the not too distant future," he told reporters.

"Yes, her tenure comes to an end on August 10. But be rest assured that there is a process which goes through the CWC (Congress Working Committee). This will be followed in the near future and a result will emerge," he said.

The procedure is written in the Congress' constitution and the party is committed to follow it, Singhvi said, adding it was being done and information will be shared on it soon. "Just like nature abhors a vacuum, political parties cannot function in a vacuum. It is true that the tenure is expiring tomorrow. There is a laid down procedure in the (party) constitution for elections. As you know it goes through the CWC etc," Singhvi said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the Congress must expedite the process of finding a full-term president to arrest the growing public perception that the party is "adrift and rudderless".