The Congress will have a non-Gandhi president for the first time in 25 years, with Rahul Gandhi conveying to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot that no-one from his family would run for the Congress president’s election. I will contest for the post, that is certain,” Gehlot said, as he left for Shirdi from Kochi, to pay obeisance at the temple of Sai Baba before filing his papers in New Delhi any time after September 26.
Rahul Gandhi had told the CWC in 2019 that he would work without a post. He would do whatever the party said. He said he still stood his ground and would work for the Congress with all his strength. I will contest. This is certain," Gehlot said on Friday. The last non-Gandhi Congress president was Sitaram Kesri who defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot in 1997.He was ousted by the CWC through a resolution that invited Sonia Gandhi to assume the office. She was formally elected Congress chief in 1998, and continues to be the longest serving chief barring a break in 2017-2019 when her son Rahul took charge. Rahul resigned in 2019 leading to the return of Sonia Gandhi as interim party president.