Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday filed his nomination papers for the post of party president. He could be elevated to the top post by Monday evening as it is the last day to file nominations, and the party is not expecting anyone to challenge him, NDTV reported.

Rahul Gandhi filed the papers at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in New Delhi at 10.30 am.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday proposed his nomination, The Indian Express reported. Senior leaders P Chidambaram, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Anand Sharma were the signatories in one set of nomination papers.

A number of senior Congress leaders praised Rahul Gandhi – Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he would make a very good prime minister; senior leader Karan Singh said that while the Congress won many elections under Sonia Gandhi, it was now time for Rahul Gandhi to take the party forward.

Wishing Rahul Gandhi the best of luck, Jyotiraditya Scindia said the party would make tremendous progress under the Congress scion’s leadership. “Look forward to undertaking this journey of building an India of energy, opportunity and unity with you,” he tweeted.

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram also wished Rahul Gandhi luck.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said Rahul Gandhi was a “committed countryman” and would make a good Congress president. “I am 100% sure that with the way he has conducted himself in the past few years, he can be one of the best Congress presidents,” Azad said.

Last week, a controversy had erupted over Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to the top party post after Maharashtra Congress Secretary Shehzad Poonawalla questioned the election process and claimed it was rigged.

Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan had criticised Poonwalla and accused him of attempting to get publicity. His brother Tehseen Poonawalla also said he would cut ties with him because of what he had said.