New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS): The election for Congress president is likely to be postponed for a few weeks, sources said on Thursday, and the final schedule will be decided in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting scheduled on August 28.

Sources said that it was likely that instead of the election process to get completed by September 21, the whole process may now be completed in October or November. The decision on the new schedule will be taken by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Sunday.

Sources also said that the new decision to defer has been taken since the party leaders will be busy in 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which will commence on September 7 and the Gandhis, including Sonia Gandhi are abroad.

The Congress has called a meeting of its Working Committee on August 28 to decide the poll schedule for the party president's post.

"A virtual meeting of the CWC will be held on the 28th August, 2022 at 3:30 PM, to approve the exact schedule of dates for the election of the Congress President. Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi will preside over the CWC meeting," tweeted K.C. Venugopal, party General Secretary Organisation.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has emerged as the top choice for the Congress president's post. Sources have said that Sonia Gandhi had requested him to contest during a meeting which she held before heading abroad for medical checkup and treatment.

The Gehlot camp has not confirmed the development, but sources have confirmed that the Congress is looking beyond the Gandhis for the top post. Gehlot himself has said that these things were coming up in the media and he had no knowledge of it.

The Central Election Authority of the Congress was awaiting a nod from the party's working committee to announce the schedule for electing the next Congress President as the grand old party is still in search of a consensus candidate for the top post after refusal by Rahul Gandhi.