Only Sonia and Rahul can become next Congress chief: Mani Shankar Aiyar

Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Sunday said that only mother and son (Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi) can acquire the post of party president.

"I think only two people can be Congress President - mother or son. Rahul has already said he is ready to contest the election" Aiyer told ANI.

"To contest election people are required. If there's no one and there's only one candidate, how will you conduct the election in the first place?" he added.

The Delhi unit of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) passed a resolution on Saturday requesting vice president Rahul Gandhi to take over as party president.

Recently, reports had been doing the rounds that Rahul Gandhi might take over as party president by the end of this month.

According to sources, the nomination for the post of party president is likely to start from October 10 provided there is more than one candidate in the fray.

However, the Central Election Authority of Congress has decided to fix the date around October 10 for the beginning of the election for the post of party president.

The results are expected to be announced by October 25.

State presidents of the Congress Party will be asked to file nomination papers for the post of president either in state capitals or at the Congress headquarters.