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NEW DELHI: The Congress Working Committee, the principal opposition party's apex decision-making body, will meet on August 10 to decide on Rahul Gandhi 's replacement as party president.

The announcement ended the prolonged suspense on the issue of succession in Congress forced by Rahul's resignation in the wake of the rout in 2019 elections, and was immediately greeted by in-house suggestions on possible candidates including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Mumbai leader Milind Deora said the party should nominate Rajasthan Congress chief and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot or Jyotiraditya Scindia for the top job. Erstwhile J&K royal and Congress veteran Karan Singh pitched for a young leader while underlining that Priyanka would be a "unifying force" for the party. Voices within in favour of holding elections to pick the chief also became strong.

The CWC meeting has been part of intense speculation ever since Rahul made it clear that his resignation announced on May 25 was non-negotiable.

The delay in convening the top body created a sense of rudderlessness in the organisation. In the last few weeks, many leaders, including Karan Singh, lashed out at the drift which they warned was hurting Congress. Singh reiterated the point on Sunday.

On Sunday afternoon, Congress general secretary in-charge of organisation K C Venugopal said, "It has been decided to hold the next CWC meeting on Saturday, 10th of August, 11 am at AICC." As soon as the suspense on the meeting ended, voices emerged on possible replacements, mirroring the 'Gennext vs Old Guard' debate on the presidency.

Though a strong section within lined up a few septuagenarians as possible presidential candidates, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and senior MP Shashi Tharoor crossed swords and triggered a debate by pitching for a young leader. After the announcement of CWC, Milind Deora said the new chief should be "young, capable and possess electoral, administrative and organisational experience, and a pan-India appeal".



In Video: Ahead of CWC meet, Milind Deora says Scindia or Pilot should become interim Congress chief