The Congress that will fight the 2014 elections will be completely different from the Congress that fought - and won - the 2004 and 2009 elections. Rahul Gandhi's ascendancy in running the party and, correspondingly, the sharply diminished influence of Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhi's powerful political secretary, mark one big change.

The other change, related to the first, is the Grand Old Party shifting to a 'modern', 'system-driven' way of functioning, radically different from how Congress has always worked.

The first change is viewed in Congress as inevitable. But the second change has its share of sceptics in the party, and some of these sceptics are wondering whether the party will miss the Ahmed Patel style of politics. The most illustrative example of both changes - Patel's decreased influence and Gandhi's new system - comes from ticket distribution in the 2013-14 election cycle. Patel's role in ticket distribution is not decisive, several Congress leaders told ET.

Gandhi's new system saw for the first time heavyweight Congress candidates such as Delhi and Rajasthan CMs Sheila Dikshit and Ashok Gehlot filling five-page application forms justifying why they should be given party tickets.

"This is quite strange," a senior Congress leader said. Another change that pretty much leaves out Patel from the election preparation process is a Team Rahul idea that for Lok Sabha elections, Congress candidates will need to get elected within the party first - through a collegium - before they are announced as candidates. "Where does this leave Ahmed Patel?" asked a Congress leader.

Read the full report on The Economic Times