All India Congress Committee general secretary Salman Khurshid, a known detractor of the Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, has emerged as the front-runner for the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee presidentship. If selected, he will replace Jagdambika Pal.

Highly placed party sources in New Delhi said a formal announcement about the appointment of a new UPCC president is expected by Saturday evening.

Other names doing the rounds for heading the UPCC are that of Begum Noor Bano, Harikesh Bahadur and Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

Khurshid had held the post a few years back. He was made All India Congress Committee general secretary by party president Sonia Gandhi during the last reshuffle.

Noor Bano and Harikesh Bahadur are special invitees to the Congress Working Committee. Bahuguna Joshi, daughter of late H N Bahuguna, is the chief of the All India Mahila Congress.

Sonia Gandhi had on Friday said that Jagdambika Pal may be replaced in a couple of days in the wake of the party's 'dismal' showing in the recent Assembly by-elections in Uttar Pradesh.

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"Something is happening tomorrow (Saturday) or the day after (Sunday) or even this (Friday) evening. Hopefully, things will start happening. I am planning to do so," Gandhi had said replying to questions at the Hindustan Times Leadership Initiative Conference.

The Congress is supporting the Mulayam Singh Yadav government from outside. However, for some time now, especially after the victory of Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli and Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in the Lok Sabha elections, the party has been criticising the state government on various issues.