India, the world’s largest democracy, is expected to go the polls in April as the ruling Congress party fights to hold on to office against a strong challenge from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party, top officials have told the Financial Times.

Senior party leaders also say the election is likely to mark the emergence of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party’s 38-year-old general secretary, as a potential prime minister, with his Italian-born mother Sonia remaining the party president.