Major Cong rejig on cards, states in focus

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 1

After its worst-ever drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls followed by successive losses in the Assembly elections, the Congress is all set to rejig its state units with the aim of building local leadership.

On the anvil are organisational changes in Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Telangana where the party is currently facing multiple political challenges from within and outside.

Each of these states will see new Congress presidents followed by restructuring in the units. While the incumbent Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa is expected to be replaced soon with former Punjab minister Lal Singh emerging a frontrunner, Delhi chief Arvinder Lovely will be replaced with Ajay Maken, who had resigned as the Congress general secretary in charge of communications after the party failed to open its account in the Delhi polls. Maken was chairperson of the party’s campaign panel for Delhi.

Sources in the Congress said the name of former union minister Ambika Soni has also been in discussion for heading Punjab but Lal Singh appeared to be leading the race having worked with former CM Capt Amarinder Singh who has been seeking Bajwa’s replacement.

A Congress source said: “Punjab remains a mystery even when we have a chance to win the state. The slow decision on Punjab leadership crisis has already hurt the party a lot. One had expected faster decisions first in Punjab and Himachal where we have a chance at victory than in states we have already lost.”

In J&K, there is a probability of former minister GA Mir replacing current state chief Saifuddin Soz. In J&K, the party had recently won only 12 of 83 Assembly seats in the state elections.

In Gujarat, the Congress is likely to name former minister Bharat Singh Solanki as its chief, while in Maharashtra, there is likelihood of former CM Ashok Chavan being brought in as state Congress president. Maharashtra was earlier won by the BJP which formed the government with the Shiv Sena.

While the names of state chiefs for Delhi, Maharashtra, J&K and Gujarat (states Congress has lost) are clear, the position on Punjab continues to be hazy with Congress general secretary in charge Shakeel Ahmad denying comments.

Though Lal Singh has emerged as a frontrunner to replace Bajwa, it remains to be seen whether former state CM Capt Amarinder Singh would be fine with the move considering he has been himself wanting to lead the party. A section in the party still feels Capt should be named the chief. But the party may not want to act under Capt’s pressure. The sense is Lal Singh would be acceptable to Capt and can unite the scattered party in the state.

Later, closer to elections in Punjab, Capt Amarinder could be brought in as the leader of the party or poll campaign panel chief.

“The leadership may want to save Capt for the last moment, considering there are two years to go for state elections. Till then, a leader acceptable to Capt can head the Punjab unit and bring warring factions together,” said a leader.

Announcements of changes in state units can be expected as soon as tomorrow or at least this week, sources said.