New Delhi, Sep 2: As Sonia Gandhi is at the verge of taking over as Congress president for the fourth consecutive term, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opined that she should offer the chair of party chief to somebody outside the Gandhi family.

"Sonia Gandhi is going to become President of the Congress for the fourth time. Obviously there would be no opposition. In accordance with the Congress constitution, no office-bearer can become the president of any block, district or state unit for more than two terms," BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Saying that Gandhi was the "tallest leader" of the party, Prasad added, "If Congress is a democratic party, as they claim, then it is high time in accordance with the spirit of their own constitution that the same prohibition ought to be applicable in case of their national president as well," Prasad said.

Sonia Gandhi, wife of late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, is expected to be elected into the post of Congress president unopposed. An announcement in this regard will be made on Friday, Sep 3 after the scrutiny of nominations are carried out.

"Congress leaders always claim that she sacrificed the office of Prime Minister. In that event, it is all the more obligatory for her that in accordance with the self-proclaimed democratic tradition and spirit of her party constitution, she should offer the post of all-India President to anyone outside the Gandhi family," Prasad said.

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