Chandigarh: Rahul Gandhi's elevation as Congress president was long overdue, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said today, describing the party vice president as "mature and competent". Calling the proposed elevation of Gandhi as Congress president a step in the right direction, he said it would help revive the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. 

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met in New Delhi today and approved the schedule for the election of the next party president starting December 1, clearing the decks for Rahul to take over the reins of the party ahead of the crucial Gujarat Assembly polls. "It is time to pass on the baton of the party affairs into the able hands of Rahul Gandhi, who is mature and competent enough to lead the Congress into the next Lok Sabha elections," Amarinder told reporters here. 

 Responding to a question, Amarinder said he was completely in favour of promoting youth, in whose hands lay the future of the party and the country. Noting that the Congress in Punjab had fielded maximum number of youth in the last Assembly polls, he said it was in national interest to infuse young blood into the polity. 

"Rahul has all the qualifications needed to provide a strong and visionary leadership to the Congress," he added. On the farm debt waiver issue, the chief minister said the process was on in full swing. Reaffirming his government s commitment to farm loan waiver, as described in the notification issued last month, he said around 10.25 lakh debt-ridden farmers would be benefited under the scheme that would cost the government Rs 9500 crore.