NEW DELHI: With the Congress working committee deciding to elect the party president before the 20th of next month and Rahul Gandhi standing firm on the position that he will not take the post, there is a possibility for a leader from outside the Gandhi family.

The names of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, party general secretary Mukul Wasnik, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meera Kumar, former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge are being discussed.

Election Committee Chairman Madhusudan Mistry said that he is firm on electing the president. The voters are 14,000 PCC members representing Block Congress Committees. The final date of the election is to be fixed by the Congress Working Committee. The committee will meet next week to finalize the voter list to elect the president and working committee members.

Three decades after Sitaram Kesari, there are strong indications that someone from outside the Gandhi family could become the party president. Rahul Gandhi's stance of wanting a president from outside the Gandhi family is making Priyanka lose her chance. The party's disastrous defeat in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections led by Priyanka also suffered a setback. Sonia has decided to step down due to health reasons.

Although there is an argument that the youth should be considered, a section opposes it by pointing out that in recent times, young leaders have gone to the BJP in droves. Examples are Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasad, Sushmita Deb, RPN Singh, Kuldeep Bishnoi etc.

The leadership also fears that the absent G-23 leaders will contest the elections.