For wider consultation, CWC divided into five groups

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday divided itself into five region-based groups to carry on wider consultation over the ongoing leadership crisis in the party.

While there is no formal communication, the move is significant because it could indicate that the process to find a new party president could further be delayed.

After intervention by Rahul Gandhi, the extended CWC meeting on Saturday was attended by not just top central leaders but also key state leaders including state unit chiefs.

The CWC meeting started at 11AM on Saturday morning at the party headquarters at 24 Akbar Road in the national capital. According to a person aware of the developments, the CWC has been divided into five regions -- northeast, east, north, south and west -- and the meeting is scheduled for different rooms at the party headquarters.

While Rahul Gandhi is part of the western region group, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is part of the eastern region group and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is part of northern region group.

A week after the Congress' second worst loss in national elections, Rahul Gandhi had resigned from the post of party president taking accountability. For over two months now, the party has not found his successor. The meeting on Saturday was expected to announce an interim party chief but there is no official information as yet.