Sonia Gandhi's tenure ends later this year, he's been heading multiple high-decibel campaigns and there's a Congress Working Committee (CWC) round the corner. Obviously, it's time to speculate on whether Rahul Gandhi will finally take charge as Congress President.

Sonia Gandhi's tenure as the Congress President ends later this year, he's been heading multiple high-decibel campaigns and there's a Congress Working Committee (CWC) round the corner. Obviously, it's time to speculate on whether Rahul Gandhi will finally take charge as Congress President.

Among the matters scheduled to be discussed at the meet include building the party's base, and the party's internal elections to be held later this year. The party is also to consider major changes to its constitution like increasing reservation for women and scheduled castes, as well as allowing members of affiliate organisations like NSUI (National Students' Union of India) to be deemed Congress members, a Hindu report said.

However, the focus has remained on whether Rahul will finally take charge of the party, something that is watched for pretty much every time a CWC meet is held. Rahul's supporter, Sachin Pilot, didn't help matters by saying that the Congress vice president should be elevated.

While the party was quick to deny the rumour, with some reports saying that the ascent could take place only after the Bihar election, that is expected to be held in October, another report said that he "was not ready to take charge". Instead what the party is likely to do, is extend the tenure of Sonia Gandhi by another year, with a proposal being moved at the meet and unanimously passed by the committee.

However, the Hindu reports that Rahul's elevation may not be anywhere on the horizon. The report says that in order to ensure that he is on a "firm footing" when he takes over, the party won't elevate him until the assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and West Bengal are completed by mid-2016.

The reason? The party "does not want losses or these polls to mar " his ascension to the post. The Congress is on a weak footing in all the states, and is expected to have a tough fight on its hands even in states like Kerala and Assam where it is presently in power.

However, the only problem is that even 2017 isn't a looking very favourable. In 2017, it will be contesting state polls in Manipur, Goa, Uttarakhand and the major states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. The party will be expecting to hold on to Manipur and Uttarakhand and will hope to try wrest Goa and Punjab from the BJP.

But in Uttar Pradesh, perhaps the biggest of the state elections, it isn't being viewed as a major contender presently. Unless it turns things around radically from the 2012 polls when it won just 28 seats and finished fourth, the party will find it hard to classify its performance a success. Given the party's criteria and the continuing reluctance of Rahul to take up the post, despite his new avatar in which he is said to be more accessible and said to be more in control of the party's operations, his backers awaiting his elevation had better not hold their breath.