Explained | How is the Congress president elected?

As leaders mull over who will head the party next, the Congress Working Committee announced that elections will be held on October 17.

The story so far: In a bid to end the Congress party’s leadership crisis prevailing since 2019, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on August 28 fixed October 17 as the date to elect a party president. While Rahul Gandhi was the presidential candidate favoured by many CWC leaders, other contenders have entered the field. The upcoming presidential polls will witness a battle between Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor, and the Gandhi family has indicated that it would remain ‘neutral’ in the presidential contest. Several members of the G-23, a group of Congress members seeking party reform, have batted for a fair competition for the top post.

In the CWC meeting, held days after the exit of the party’s longest-serving general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, the schedule for the election was endorsed. Throughout the meeting, both former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remained silent, and no fresh appeals were made by the CWC members to Mr. Gandhi to return as party president.

The election process began on September 24— the date earmarked for the filing of nominations by candidates. It will culminate on October 17. In case of a contest, 9000 delegates will cast their votes on October 17 to choose the next party chief. The top post has been with the Gandhi family for over two decades now.

The Congress President is elected by Indian National Congress (INC) delegates across the various state committees of the party, as per Article XVIII of the Congress Constitution.

Under Article VIII and its various sub-clauses, delegates to the Block Congress Committee shall be elected from the members of the Primary Committee (the basic Organisation unit). Such members are elected from those enrolled as party members, fulfilling all conditions mentioned under Article V(A)(b) of the Congress Constitution. Any person of the age of 18 or over can become a Congress member for five years by paying Rs 5 and signing its declaration form.

These Block Congress Committee delegates further elect a delegate to the State committee or Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) via secret ballot. Other PCC members consist of ex-PCC presidents, DCC presidents, All India Congress Committee (AICC) members in that area, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) members, and co-opted members.  PCC delegates or PCC members are delegates to the INCand can elect the Congress president from among the nominated candidates.

As per Article XVIII, any ten INC delegates may jointly propose the name of any delegate for election as president of the Congress. The Returning Officer will publish the names of all candidates (except those withdrawn) and circulate them to the PCC, within seven days of the filing of the candidates’ nominations.