Selja, KC Venugopal front-runners for Congress president post after Gehlot snub

New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Congress sources on Tuesday said that Ashok Gehlot is being ruled out from the Congress' president post and it is likely that Kumari Selja could be considered for the top post while Rahul Gandhi's choice is said to be K.C. Venugopal.

However, no final decision has been made yet and Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath who met Sonia Gandhi on Monday said that he doesn't want to become the party president and wants to continue to work for the party in Madhya Pradesh.

"I want to remain in MP," Kamal Nath, a former Chief Minister of the state, told IANS.

The escalating drama in Rajasthan has made the Congress leadership think about a plan B for the top party post, for which Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was being seen as a contender. Kamal Nath, who was one of the probables, has ruled out himself and now the party has limited options with Mukul Wasnik and Mallikarjun Kharge, but the time is running out as the election process has started and September 30 is the last day of nomination.

The party was left red-faced as the Congress Legislature Party in Jaipur on Sunday to decide Gehlot's successor had to be called off after his supporting MLAs came out strongly against Sachin Pilot succeeding him.

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi has sought a detailed report from state in-charge Ajay Maken, following a meeting held at her residence on Monday with Maken, senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal.