Rahul and Sonia Gandhi at Shakti Sthal on Indira Gandhi’s 27th death anniversary on October 31. Picture by Rajesh Kumar

New Delhi, Nov. 8: The Congress today dismissed the buzz about Rahul Gandhi becoming party president or working president in the near future, but conceded that his role was gradually expanding.

“This is speculation and will remain just speculation,” party media cell chief Janardan Dwivedi said, when asked about reports suggesting Rahul was set to become Congress working president.

Some other reports have suggested the Amethi MP would replace Sonia Gandhi as party president and even offered a timeline for the transition. Congress insiders had already trashed these reports but the party today decided to confront the speculation officially, apparently because the controversy had upset Rahul.

Asked about the possibility of a larger role for Rahul in the immediate future, Dwivedi said: “There is no suspense about it. He has a role and in the natural course, his role will go on increasing. This is what Congressmen want and this in their opinion is natural.”

Asked if an expansion of Rahul’s role will mean a diminution of Sonia’s, Dwidevi said: “This is an uncharitable question.”

He added: “Sonia Gandhi is there to lead the party.”

To a question about Priyanka Gandhi’s possible entry and role, Dwivedi said: “In the family, who will do what is decided among themselves. Right now Rahulji is there.”

The clarification comes a day before Sonia addresses her first public rally since her surgery, suggesting the Congress does not want any speculation about her political future at a time five states are headed for the polls.

Sonia will kick off the party’s election campaign in Uttarakhand tomorrow after laying the foundation for a railway project.

Although Congress leaders say Rahul has begun playing a wider role beyond the frontal organisations assigned to him, insiders doubt that the party can disinvest in Sonia by formally declaring the son as its head.

“Soniaji is the most valuable political asset in the country today, and will any party commit the stupidity of dismantling such an asset?” a senior cabinet minister close to 10 Janpath had told The Telegraph a few days ago.

Some party leaders, mostly younger ones, have been clamouring for Rahul to be given a larger role. Core members of Sonia’s team say a larger role in this context means a “larger say”, not necessarily a “larger post”.

Certain ministers have campaigned for Rahul’s induction into the government and some others back the idea of making him the Congress working president. But Sonia’s key advisers argue that Rahul does not need any post to expand his role.

They believe that making Rahul the working president at a time Sonia is active as president would be indecent and hand political rivals more ammunition to target “dynasty rule”.

They also feel that a formal promotion for Rahul would strengthen the perception that Sonia’s health is failing. The majority opinion is that nothing should be done to disturb the status quo, which gives both Sonia and Rahul enough power.

The lobby that wants Rahul to take up the party’s reins argues that his unending apprenticeship is becoming ridiculous. This camp says he should be made either a cabinet minister or party president, which will make it easier to project him as the next candidate for Prime Minister.

These leaders feel that Rahul is wasting his time on the Youth Congress and should instead start learning the rules of governance and the intricacies of national politics.

Rahul himself has chosen to be patient though he has shed his reluctance to engage in organisational matters. He is now involved in strategy-making, and all appointments and vital decisions are routed through him.