Sonia Gandhi has been named the new interim president forCongress party. Senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in a single lineannouncement after day long deliberations held to pick a new party presidentnecessitated by Rahul Gandhi’s resignation from the post in the month of May.

The Congress Working Committee made a last ditch effort onSaturday evening to persuade Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president,and proposed that if Rahul still doesn’t relent, Sonia Gandhi should be theinterim president and oversee elections for the top post.The CWC – whichmeeting for the second time on Saturday evening -concluded its discussionsclose to 11 pm.The search for a new president was necessitated by RahulGandhi’s insistence on stepping from the party’s top post in May. Over the nexttwo months and more, there have been numerous attempts to persuade him butRahul Gandhi stood his ground, owning responsibility for the party’shumiliating defeat in the national elections.The party’s 54-member apex bodyhad met earlier on Saturday to decide on a name but went along with RahulGandhi’s suggestion to make it a participatory exercise and get the opinions ofparty leaders from the states as well. The CWC then formed five zonal groups toconsult with state leaders to zero in on a party chief. Rahul Gandhi and UPAchairperson Sonia Gandhi were initially listed to be part of the consultationswith leaders from the western zone and the eastern zone, respectively. They,however, recused themselves, saying it would be a mistake for them to be partof the consultations as it might influence the other participants.