The appointment of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bupesh Baghel as general secretary incharge of Punjab has fueled speculation of a major reshuffle in the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).

Since Raja Amarinder Singh Warring took over as the PPCC chief in April 2022, the reconstitution of the state party unit has been pending. Being a senior leader and hailing from the OBC community, Baghel has been sent to Punjab keeping in view the Assembly elections in 2027 and pressure on AAP to replicate the Delhi model in Punjab.

Bigger role for Hindu, OBC leaders?

“His presence would ensure that the claimants for the position in the state unit chief work together for the party and there is no infighting,” said a senior leader.

Taking to The Tribune, Baghel said he would soon visit Punjab and hold discussions with the party leaders. Congress leaders, privy to discussions in the central party leadership, said Baghel had been tasked to do the necessary social engineering among the Jat, Hindu, Dalit and OBC community leaders and ensure that there was no infighting, as was witnessed when Dalit Sikh face Charanjit Singh Channj was made the CM face in the 2022 Assembly elections.

In 2022, the party's tactical move to project a Dalit leader as the CM face instead of a Jat leader backfired. Due to infighting, the party faced its worst poll debacle as it was reduced to 18 seats. In order to prevent factionalism and pushing of personal agendas, the top leadership is contemplating that the state unit president would not be the CM face. Also, sources said, there was pressure on the party leadership to give a bigger role to the Hindu and OBC leaders.

“It becomes all the more important to consider Hindu, Dalit or OBC leaders for the post of PPCC chief or the CLP leader after state AAP president Aman Arora questioned why a Hindu leader cannot be the CM pick as Hindus compromise 38 per cent of the state population,” said a senior Hindu leader and former Cabinet Minister.

Presently, Warring and CLP leader Partap Bajwa are Jat faces. Besides, certain other Jat leaders are in the fray for a bigger role in the state unit. According to party leaders, it has become imperative to restructure the state unit to take on the ruling AAP, which has emerged as an alternative for the voters who traditionally backed the crisis-hit SAD. “Also, the BJP is expected to push harder in Punjab after the big Delhi win. The Congress has to adjust to the changing political space,” said a senior PPCC leader.

The prominent Hindu faces in the state unit are former minister Brahm Mohindra; former Speaker Rana KP Singh, who headed the campaign committee during Lok Sabha elections; AICC joint treasurer Vijay Inder Singla; PPCC working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu; PPCC cashier Amit Vig and Punjab Youth Congress president Mohit Mohindra.

Channi, the Jalandhar MP and the tallest Dalit leader in the Punjab Congress, has reportedly declined the offered of a bigger role in the AICC and preferred to play his innings in the state. It is yet to be seen that whether the party repeats the Dalit card for the party president's post or go for the reshuffle in the stage unit.