For the first time in over two decades, the Indian National Congress is setting the floors to welcome the non-Gandhi national president to lead the party at a high time of building a consensus with the regional parties to bring all the opposition under one roof ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The talk about electing a new president has come when the party must complete its internal polls by September and when the incumbent Sonia Gandhi would travel abroad for a medical checkup. 

Sonia Gandhi has been president of the Congress party since 1998, barring two years when Rahul Gandhi was the president from 2017 to 2019. Owing to her health setbacks, Sonia Gandhi said she doesn't want to continue as the Chief anymore and as Rahul Gandhi is yet to be convinced to take up the baton again, all fingers are now pointing at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is now the front runner for the party's president.

Though Gehlot has been urging Rahul Gandhi to take over the post, he has been considering running for it after a direct request from Sonia Gandhi. After Sonia Gandhi requested Gehlot to serve in the top post, the Rajasthan Chief Minister has now emerged as a front runner to become the next President of the Congress party. Sonia Gandhi has told Gehlot that this is the best way forward for the party. 

The reports say that Sonia wants to see the change before she heads abroad for a medical checkup. The party is yet to announce the schedule for the president's election. The party's top decision-making body 'Congress Working Committee' will be convened on August 28 during which the election for the next president will be discussed. It has been reported that after this meeting, the party's Central Election Authority will announce the schedule for the election. 

It is most likely that the election would be held on September 21 and the reports say that Gehlot is not the only contender as several veterans are eyeing the top post. While Sonia Gandhi's choice is Ashok Gehlot, the latter has on Monday said that Rahul Gandhi should rethink his decision (of not taking over the leadership) as it will demoralize the party workers. He stated that Rahul Gandhi was the top and unanimous choice for the party's president. 

"Every Congress worker wants to see Rahul Gandhi take over as president. This would be the best step to inspire them", Gehlot added. However, as Rahul Gandhi is planning to focus on the party's upcoming mass contact programme - the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he hasn't shown any signs that he will take over the Congress presidency. He will also be travelling with his mother Sonia for her medical checkup. 

On the front of why Ashok Gehlot is the front runner for the top post, one of the major reasons is his three-term tenure as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and his stint as the Congress party's national general secretary for a year would add more advantage to him. Moreover, he is a notable Congress leader from a Hindi-speaking state and the party thinks that elevating him to the national role would aid in reviving the party in the Hindi belt. 

Gehlot is one of the loyalists of both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and he has successfully saved the Congress rule in Rajasthan despite several toppling attempts from the BJP. His tenure as the party's national secretary was the best as, during this period, the Congress party formed government in various states including Punjab, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. Most importantly, Gehlot was a strong critic of the G23 leaders in Congress who opposed the leadership of the Gandhis. 

As Gehlot has emerged as the front runner for the role of Congress president after a direct request from Sonia Gandhi, he ought to resign the post of Rajasthan Chief Minister and in such case, it has been reported that young leader Sachin Pilot will become the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. On the other hand, the latest reports suggest that there may be chances of deferment in the process of electing a new president as several leaders are urging Rahul Gandhi to take up the role. 

Instead of holding the elections by September 21, the party chief would be chosen in October or November within which Rahul Gandhi would complete the Bharat Jodo Yatra programme and he may announce his run for the presidency. As Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also not interested to take over the role, the chaos remains in the high command and when the election nears, we can see a change in the status quo where Rahul Gandhi's name may get on the cards.