JUNE 6 CWC MEET ON RAHUL’S ELEVATION

NEW DELHI: The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, would meet on June 6 when is likely to discuss the issue of forging a larger opposition unity and Rahul Gandhi’s elevation.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will come under pressure to take over as the party president at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision making body, convened here on June 6.

Though the meeting has been convened to discuss the Presidential election, current political situation and forging of a large Opposition unity and the party elections, the members may put pressure on Congress President Sonia Gandhi to act on an unanimous resolve of all members, including former PM Manmohan Singh and senior leader A K Antony, in the last meeting on November 7 that Rahul should take over the party’s reins.

Sonia had given a miss to the CWC on November 7 in which all had unanimously voiced “strong sentiment” for Rahul’s elevation for the first time. The party leaders say it is time for her to hand over the party baton to son Rahul in view of her infrequent health and age. She is now 70.

She has already created a sort of record by being at the helm of the 130-year old organisation for almost two decades since after the CWC had ousted late Sitaram Kesri from the post.

The party leaders say it will be befitting to elevate Rahul as the Congress President as a birthday gift on June 19 when he turns 47.

Rahul was made the party vice-president in January 2013 at the Congress brainstorming session in Jaipur and since then there have been off and on demands to let him take over the leadership from his mother, but it was for the first time in November that Antony raised the demand at the CWC forum and all senior leaders backed it.

The CWC will be discussing some hiccups in the ongoing organisational elections that are to be completed by December end as the Election Commission has warned that it would not give any further extension beyond two years and the party will face derecognition if it does not complete the party elections.

As per the declared schedule, the Congress President has to be elected by October 15. The CWC may allow postponement of the organisational elections in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka in view of the upcoming Assembly elections in the first two states in December and in April in Karnataka.