Rahul to file nominations for Cong prez post today

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination papers for the election to the Congress president's post tomorrow, accompanied by a host of senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Monday is the last date for filing of nominations and no one else has filed papers till on Sunday, according to Mullapally Ramachandran, the chairman of the party's Central Election Authority.

Rahul Gandhi is likely to emerge as the lone candidate in the fray and decks have been cleared for his election as the Congress president, succeeding his mother Sonia Gandhi, who has held the post for 19 years in a row now.

Party sources said Rahul Gandhi will file four sets of nomination papers. Senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, A K Antony and Ahmed Patel and party chief ministers will sign the papers as proposers.

"So far 90 nomination forms have been given out to state unit delegates. No application for nomination has been submitted so far and tomorrow is the last date for filing nominations," he said.

Congress delegates from various states will be at the party's headquarters on Akbar Road tomorrow filing their sets of nomination papers proposing Rahul Gandhi's name for the top post.

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said all party general secretaries and CWC members, besides states and frontal organisations will file nomination forms in Rahul Gandhi's favour.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said Rahul Gandhi will officially file his nomination papers tomorrow.

Asked about criticism of the party's internal polls, she said, "There has been criticism on whether the Congress election is democratic or not. I would say that this is such an election which is being supervised by the Election Commission of India."

Dev said when one talks about electoral democracy, here is full transparency in these polls as they are held as per rules prescribed by the Election Commission.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who will be present tomorrow, wished Rahul Gandhi success and said his elevation was a "good sign for the party".

"It is a good sign for the party and I'm sure he'll do extremely well," he said.

Singh said he was very happy to see him at this position as "I have known Rahul since he was a little boy and I knew and could see it in him that he would one day rise to the top." "He has already performed and for the last few days we have been following him and the way he is drawing crowds in Gujarat," the Punjab chief minister added.

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh signed nomination papers proposing Rahul Gandhi's name for the post of Congress president and said the elevation would help revive the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls."

Congratulating Gandhi on his proposed elevation, Singh said he was extremely happy to be doing the honours of nominating the Congress vice president for the post and was sure he would do well as the new leader of the party.

The chief minister said he had known Gandhi since the latter was a little boy and could see even then that the youngster would one day rise to the top.

The move to elevate him to the top post is a good sign for the party, a release quoting Singh said here.

He said that Gandhi's performance during the last few days in Gujarat showed his strong capability. He had been drawing huge crowds in Gujarat, and showed remarkable political maturity on several other occasions in the recent past, said the chief minister.

Describing Gandhi as a "mature and competent" politician, the Singh said his elevation would help revive the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

His visionary leadership qualities would help infuse young blood into the party, said Singh, who is a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

A fortnight back, Singh had said "It is time to pass on the baton of the party affairs into the able hands of Rahul Gandhi".