Congress may name its new party president today

Meanwhile, UNI news agency reported,  as part of efforts to speed up the process of selection of the new Congress chief, the Congress working committee on Saturday set up five committees to hold broader consultations on the issue with various PCC chiefs, AICC secretaries and CLP leaders even as it again urged Rahul Gandhi to reconsider his resignation from the post of party chief.

Gandhi resigned from the position after the Congress suffered a severe jolt in the Lok Sabha polls and won just 52 seats.

The five panels, one of which is headed by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will record the views of various party leaders and submit its report on Saturday evening to the CWC , which would meet again later on Saturday to decide on the issue, AICC media incharge randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

UPA chairpersons Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have, however, recused themselves from the process of selection of the new party chief

'Neither I nor Rahul are party of any of the panels. It is a mistake that our names were added to the groups," Sonia Gandhi told reporters earlier on Saturday.

Sources said that the panels have been formed on the suggestions of Rahul Gandhi, who felt that a broader consultation should be conducted, before a new leader is chosen.

Over the past few weeks, several party leaders have caleld for an early decision on the new party chief to end the feeling of uncretainty within the party.

Many party leaders have favoured a young leader for the post of the new party president. These include Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh who said a young leader should head the party.

Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora suggested the name of party leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot to take up the responsibility.

Given the fact that the public announcement by Rahul of his resignation last month had led to a confusion in the party on the leadership issue, party leaders have said that the issue of the party leadership be resolved at the earliest.

Leaders like Murli Deora, Shashi Tharoor and Abhishek manu Singhvi have said an interim president be appointed at the earliest.

Infact, ahead of the CWC meet, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said,"On Saturday, a consensus builder party pres INC must be selected. Slightest delay is not an option. In a lighter vein, I gave an analogy of wise men of Vatican locked in a room indefinitely until they got a nomination! Subsequently, it has to be followed by full intraparty elections."