NEW DELHI: The congress party is moving ahead with steps to find a new chief to lead the party. Meantime, whether there will be a contest for the post or not is not yet clear. If the name of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is proposed, there are chances for G23 leaders to field Shashi Tharoor. However, reports said that if someone from the Gandhi family takes over the mantle, a contest will not be there. The general feeling is that Rahul Gandhi himself should lead the party. However, he is not interested in that.

The G23 leaders believe that a contest will help the party to discuss and find solutions to the problems faced by the Congress. Shashi Tharoor MP has not yet responded on whether he will contest or not. However, he had clarified that the election for a new president is the beginning of the revival of the Congress. Tharoor had earlier expressed his opposition to the Congress's election procedures. Tharoor is of the opinion that there should be a contest in the Congress Working Committee as well. He will convey this objection to the party leadership.

If Tharoor is not willing to contest, then senior Congress leader and one of the G23 leaders, Manish Tiwari, is likely to enter the fray. The aim of the G23 leaders is to lead the way from within the party itself. Meantime, the members of the group are also of the opinion that Ghulam Nabi Azad, who led the G23 group, should not have left the party.

The notification for election to the post of president will be released on September 22. The nominations can be filed from September 24 to 30. The election will be held on October 17 and the results will be announced on October 19. AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal said that it is a general election and that anyone can contest.