Rahul may become president of the Congress party after UP polls

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi may head the Congress party after the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh , which is likely to be held in the first quarter of the next calendar year, according to party sources here.

The sources said present party president Sonia Gandhi has some health issue and it is the main reason for him taking up the reins of the party. She has reported favoured this kind of arrangement.

Rahul is reported to have agreed to the proposal after some senior party leaders including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former minister A K Antony backed it at the Congress Working Committee meeting held recently. Sonia was indisposed and could not attend the meeting.

Young members of the party have been demanding it since long . The support of the demand by seniors might have influenced Sonia.

The party does not want to make any change at this stage and would like to wait till February-March because it may affect the party prospects in Uttar Pradesh which is crucial for the party.

In addition to Uttar Pradesh, four states are scheduled to go to the polls early next year. The poll-bound states include Punjab.

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