Congress party crown prince seen stepping into limelight

NEW DELHI, Friday (AFP) Large signboards bearing garishly painted portraits of Rahul Gandhi, scion of India's famed Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, are already springing up in the capital.

Gandhi -- whose great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, grandmother Indira Gandhi and father Rajiv Gandhi were all prime ministers -- has had a low key first year as Congress MP following the party's surprise victory in May 2004.

But that is seen as soon to change. Expectations are high that the clean-cut 36-year-old, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his slain father, will be given a prominent party role that could pave the way for him to one day lead Congress.

"It certainly looks as if Congress is preparing to launch him in a big way," said Neerja Chowdhury, political editor at the Indian Express.

"It seems as if he's going to follow the same route as his father and become party general secretary. It's going to come sooner rather than later."

Speculation about Rahul being named Congress general secretary mounted Thursday with media reports that the current holder of the post would be appointed to the cabinet in a shuffle expected early next month.

Ever since Rahul's mother, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, stunned India by rejecting the premier's job after spearheading the party's win, "Congress has been looking for another Nehru-Gandhi to keep them in power", Chowdhury said.

Rahul's appointment as general secretary would mark a significant shift -- he has been studiously keeping his head down since his election from his father's old constituency of Amethi in northern Uttar Pradesh state last year.