It was the unanimous view of members of the Congress Working Committee on Monday that the party should immediately declare Rahul Gandhi as the party president, but there was a minor technical hitch.

The current incumbent, Sonia Gandhi was not present at the meeting of the CWC, as doctors had advised her to stay at home and avoid travelling through the smog outside.

Had the announcement of Rahul as party chief been made in the absence of Sonia Gandhi, it could have sent wrong signals to the world outside.

Hence, it was decided that senior members of CWC would now meet party chief Sonia Gandhi and communicate the unanimous view of the working committee.

Only after this, party chief Sonia Gandhi will make the formal announcement anointing her son as party president.

It is now clear that the reins of party will now be in the hands of Rahul Gandhi, with assembly polls in UP, Punjab and Uttarakhand looming on the horizon.