Congress president election delayed, to be held in October

The elections were earlier scheduled to be held between Aug 21 and Sept 20 as per the announcement made by the party.

Sources said the election for the top party post will now be held in October, and the process will start in the first week of the month.

The Central Working Committee of the Congress will hold a meeting digitally on Sunday evening to approve the schedule for the election, which will be announced soon.

The source added that the party would have a "new president" before Diwali.

The elections will take place as the Congress carries out its 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, which is set to start on Sept 7 and will cover over 3500 kilometres across the country.

Rahul Gandhi is expected to participate in the march as one of the 'yatris' who will participate in the whole of the yatra.

He will, however, also campaign in the poll-bound states, even though he may skip the winter session of Parliament.

Party President Sonia Gandhi has indicated that she will not continue in the post due to her health situation.

While several Congress leaders have demanded that Rahul Gandhi take over as the next party president, speculations are rife if a non-Gandhi is headed to take the post.

Sources suggested that the former Congress president, who quit after the party's humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, has not shown willingness to retake the post.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's name has emerged among the top contenders, even as he has maintained that he is not aware of it.