Samajwadi Party on Saturday said by appointing Rahul Gandhi as party vice president Congress has accorded an official status to his role in taking major decisions of the party.

"It is an internal organisational matter of Congress. But at the same time, the decision to appoint him as vice president is more of a formality. People know that most major decisions of Congress had Rahul's stamp of approval. Now, Congress has authorised him to take decisions officially," SP general secretary and national spokesperson Ram Gopal Yadav said in New Delhi.

Yadav, whose party is extending outside support to the Congress-led UPA government, said there is a possibility that Rahul could be appointed as the working president of Congress in the near future.

Congress on Saturday elevated Rahul to the number two position in the party by appointing him as vice president.