23:18 August 10
Sonia to remain president till internal polls are held
In the press conference, Congress leader KC Venugopal said, "Congress Working Committee (CWC) unanimously resolved to request Sonia Gandhi to take over as the Interim President, pending the election of a regular president by the AICC."
"Congress Working Committee unanimously resolved that Rahul Gandhi should continue as Congress president and requested him to accept this decision. However, he declined to withdraw his resignation," he added.
22:56 August 10
Sonia Gandhi is the new Congress president
According to reports, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has been named as the new interim Congress president.
22:41 August 10
Called to meeting to discuss J&K: Rahul
After coming out of the meeting, Rahul Gandhi spoke to reporters outside the AICC office. He said, "I was called by the Working Committee because some reports have come that things in Jammu and Kashmir are going very wrong. There are reports of violence."
"There are reports of violence, so we stopped our deliberation and had our presentation on what was going on in Jammu and Kashmir. It is important that the Prime Minister makes it clear what is happening in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The meeting is still underway," he added.
21:45 August 10
Members to request Rahul to continue as Cong president
According to sources, all members will unanimously request Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party chief.
However, if he sticks to his stand of not taking back his resignation, the members are expected to request UPA chairperson and former party chief Sonia Gandhi to take over the mantle.
21:38 August 10
Rahul Gandhi arrives
Rahul Gandhi arrives for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting underway at All India Congress Committee (AICC) office.
21:05 August 10
CWC meet gets underway
The Congress Working Committee meeting got underway without Rahul Gandhi, as the former party president has not yet arrived.
15:08 August 10
CWC to pick next party chief by 9PM: Surjewala
Addressing the media after the Congress Working Committee meeting, National Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala claimed that a second meeting will be held today and a decision will be taken with regards to the next party chief.
"Members of the working committee will submit a detailed report after consultation with other Congress leaders, state chiefs and a decision will be taken before 9PM today," Surjewala said.
CWC members emphasised that BJP is suppressing the voice of the backward classes, deriding the democratic process on account of the overwhelming majority they have.
"They refuse to hear the voice of India," Surjewala said.
According to him, Rahul Gandhi's resignation is being looked into by the working committee and the party workers are ready to work for the Congress party under his leadership.
Further, he stated that Rahul Gandhi remains the leader to lead a strong opposition against the might of BJP.
"Voice of opposition should be heard and that is the voice of Rahul Gandhi," he added.
12:41 August 10
CWC meet: Sonia, Rahul leave the meet before the consultation process
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi back out from the consultation process between all party Chief Ministers, state chiefs, MPs and office bearers, to elect a new party chief.
With this move, the decision to elect a party chief became more open and transparent.
12:33 August 10
States have been divided into several regions namely North East, East, North, West and South. CWC members have been slotted into these regions.
The decision on the next party chief will come after consultations with all these groups.
11:48 August 10
CWC meet underway
11:08 August 10
CWC meet: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Randeep Surjewala and KC Venugopal arrive at party office.
11:00 August 10
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrives at Congress office for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.
11:00 August 10
Senior Congress leaders Harish Rawat, Meira Kumar and Ahmed Patel arrive at party office for Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.
10:24 August 10
Congress Working Committee(CWC) will be divided into five groups and discussions(on next party chief) will be held with state unit leaders according to regions.
09:15 August 10
CWC likely to announce next chief by 9PM
New Delhi:Top Congress leaders will meet at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquaters on Saturday, in what apprears to be a decisive meet with regards to the revival of Indian National Congress (INC), following its defeat in the general elections.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) which is expected to fill the post of party president, which has remained vacant since Rahul Gandhi announced his resignation in May.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at 11 am.
A day ahead of the all-important meet, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said even a "slightest delay" in choosing the party's chief is not an option.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has batted for a young leader to head the party, while Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora suggested the name of party leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot to take up the responsibility.
A few leaders like Shashi Tharoor have suggested that an interim president be appointed at the earliest.
Unequivocally ruling himself out of the race, Deora had recommended the names of Pilot and Scindia for the post of party president.
A lawmaker from Wayanad constituency, Gandhi had offered to step down from the post of Congress president at the CWC meeting on May 25, taking moral responsibility for the party's drubbing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
However, his offer to resign was unanimously rejected by the CWC with several top leaders rallying behind him to continue to lead the party.
The Congress won 52 seats in the recent general elections, which is just eight more than its 2014 Lok Sabha results.