Rahul’s word final for all LS nominations, Sonia’s for RS

With Rahul Gandhi’s elevation as vice-president last year, the Congress has for some time seemed divided between two power centres — he and mother Sonia, the party president. But to quell confusion in the ranks, as the general election nears, a mechanism has been devised under which Mrs Gandhi will have the final word on all Rajya Sabha tickets, while Rahul will have a free hand to decide Lok Sabha candidates.

A senior Congress leader said: “Given the thinking of Rahulji, as he wants to open up the system by putting in place a democratic way to select candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assemblies, the Congress president has given him a free hand to decide the names of candidates for direct elections.”
As Mr Gandhi wants to bring in younger and newer faces in the Lok Sabha, sources said to maintain “equilibrium”, Mrs Gandhi chose most of the old guard for the Rajya Sabha.
“Rahulji did not take any interest in finalising the Rajya Sabha candidates,” a source added.