Even though, a cross-section of Congress leaders are squirming at the work style of its 44-year old vice-president Rahul Gandhi, he is set to be coronated to take over as a full-fledged president at the AICC session proposed in March or April. But the party has decided to conduct the session in Bengaluru, in the hope that Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah will foot the bills of the high-profile two-day session. The tentative dates, so far being proposed are April 10 to 12. Rahul, had become the party's vice-president in the "Chintan Shivir" of the party on January 2013, held in Jaipur.

It is believed that Sonia Gandhi has confided to some leaders that she wants to distance from day-to-day work and believes that Rahul is ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the party.

The constitutional amendments to be carried out in the AICC session in April will kick off Rahul's massive exercise of reorganising the party at various levels. Though recommended by the election authority headed by Mullappally Ramachandran, the poll reforms sought to be carried out through these amendments have Rahul's stamp. These include a common membership of Congress encompassing members of all wings like Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, Seva Dal and NSUI, revival of active members who enroll at least 25 new members, and hiking representation of SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities in all Congress bodies from top to bottom from 20 to 50 per cent.

The only hiccup is since party has lost elections in few states, there is no one to foot the bill of the session. In the past, it was left to chief ministers of respective states to manage and arrange five-star accommodations for guests, delegates, senior leaders and media persons. Since the party has been annihilated in Delhi and thrown out of power, nobody is coming forward to take the responsibility of arrangements. With Maharashtra and Haryana gone to BJP recently, the onus rests on Karnataka.

Sonia Gandhi may guide the partySonia Gandhi may continue as patron but will not wish to hold an official position in the party. She has been refusing intervention sought by senior leaders, who come calling asking her to put the brakes on some of Rahul's plans. She has been the longest serving Congress president as she took the leadership charge in March 1998.