It has been reported from sources close to Congress Party’s headquarters in New Delhi that party vice-president Rahul Gandhi would formally take over as the next party president from 30th October (next Monday).

A formal announcement by the Congress party is likely to be made on Thursday (26th October) about Rahul ascending the throne and take charge of the party’s destiny. Rahul, the ‘Prince-in-Waiting’ who could have ruled the country during the Congress-led UPA regime’s rule at the Centre for a decade from 2004-14, has long been seen as the ‘next big thing’ in the party after his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Senior party leaders have been repeatedly telling that the time has come for Rahul Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, to take over as the party’s chief as they seem to believe strongly that Rahul alone can match Narendra Modis’ charisma and put it across the people in favour of the Congress during the Lok Sabha polls which might be held towards end-2018 or early 2019.

Sonia, who hasn’t been keeping good health for the past couple of years, announced at a recent event that Rahul would soon take over the party’s reins.  Rahul’s take-over as Congress president, replacing his mother, would follow four days after the Congress makes an official confirmation about it on Thursday (26th October).  Rahul’s first challenge would be the upcoming Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.