A big test awaits Congress president Rahul Gandhi today when he picks chief ministers for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh from among four contenders, with either choices bound to unsettle cadre months before general elections. In Rajasthan, it’s a contest between experienced Ashok Gehlot and young gun Sachin Pilot, while in Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia has thrown his hat in the ring to challenge senior leader Kamal Nath. All four leaders will be in Delhi today to meet the Congress high command.

With numbers in place to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the elected Congress MLAs have authorised the party's national president Rahul Gandhi to decide the chief ministers as the top contenders held hectic parleys through the day and till late in night.

Randeep Surjewala: After consulting everybody we'll give a CM candidate&a govt that truly reflects will of people of these 3 states.We'll start process of loan waiver, process of creating new employment opportunities&reconstruction of these states in accordance with people's will pic.twitter.com/r6Gty3Vo64

— ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018