Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today filed his nomination papers for the party's chief post.
The 47-year-old Gandhi scion is likely to emerge as the lone candidate in the fray and decks have been cleared for his election as the Congress president, succeeding his mother Sonia Gandhi, who has held the post for 19 years in a row now.
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Today is the last date for filing nominations.
No one else filed papers till Sunday, according to Mullapally Ramachandran, the chairman of the party's Central Election Authority.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh are among the proposers for the candidature of Rahul Gandhi for the party chief's post.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 11, and the poll, if necessary, will be held on December 16 and the counting will take place on December 19.
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According to party sources, there were apprehensions among the party leaders earlier over the incumbent president being among the proposers to Rahul Gandhi's candidature.
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"So far 90 nomination forms have been given out to state unit delegates. No application for nomination has been submitted so far and todayis the last date for filing nominations," Ramachandran told PTI.
Congress delegates from various states will be at the party's headquarters on Akbar Road today, filing their sets of nomination papers proposing Rahul Gandhi's name for the top post.
Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said all party general secretaries and CWC members, besides states and frontal organisations will file nomination forms in Rahul Gandhi's favour.
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Asked about criticism of the party's internal polls, party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said, "There has been criticism on whether the Congress election is democratic or not. I would say that this is such an election which is being supervised by the Election Commission of India."
Dev said when one talks about electoral democracy, here is full transparency in these polls as they are held as per rules prescribed by the Election Commission.
With Agency Inputs
