NEW DELHI: After the Congress leadership hinted that no one from the Gandhi family would contest for the post of the party chief in October, Shashi Tharoor is likely to be the candidate of the G-23 rebel group. Meanwhile, the official wing of the party is putting pressure on Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to contest.

The AICC leadership has hinted that the president will be elected in a democratic manner to brush away the allegation the party is run by Rahul Gandhi through remote control. While Rahul Gandhi has reiterated that he will not become the president, Sonia is staying away due to health reasons. The allegations levelled by senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who resigned from the party, also led to a change in the stance of the party leadership. The Congress is also looking at the election as a means to give a reply to the BJP's family rule allegation against it. The party is also considering the names of senior leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Meera Kumar, Sushil Kumar Shinde and others for the post of the new chief.