Rahul Gandhi to take final call after meeting Amarinder, Bajwa

Wednesday, 04/02/2015

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/rahul-gandhi-to-take-final-call-after-meeting-amarinder-bajwa/37738.html

New Delhi : The stage is set for an early resolution of the simmering leadership crisis in Punjab with a majority of party legislators acknowledging Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh as the "tallest leader" and demanding that the incumbent Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPSC) president, Partap Singh Bajwa, be replaced.

Barring a few, all MLAs threw their weight behind Amarinder Singh during their meeting with Congress vice- president Rahul Gandhi who met them in two groups for 90 minutes each this evening.

The message at the end of the two-day exercise involving discussions on reviving the party in Punjab was that that Amarinder Singh is the most popular leader who has the ability to take on the SAD-BJP alliance. Even Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former CM, is learnt to have asked Rahul to “ make use of Capt’s popularity”.

Bhattal was in the group with MLAs Brahm Mohindra, AS Mofar, Preneet Kaur (Capt’s wife), Kewal Dhillon, CLP leader Sunil Jakhar, Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, Hardyal Kambhoj, Karan Brar, Indian Youth Congress chief Amrinder Warring and Rajnish Babbi.

Except for Mofar and Mohindra, all others backed Amarinder Singh. “We told the high command that even the Akalis admitted in private that Amarinder Singh was their only challenge,” Kewal Dhillon told The Tribune. Rana Sodhi said there was unanimity that Amarinder Singh was the most acceptable leader. Mohindra said he had called for unity and discipline.

The Congress leaders today indicated that they would “resolve" the leadership issue at the earliest as they considered Punjab to be one state where the Congress could script its resurrection. Sources close to Rahul told The Tribune that the impression that he disliked Amarinder Singh was wrong. A final call on the PPSC issue would be made after Rahul met Amarinder Singh and Bajwa shortly, they said.

Top Congress leaders said the options before the Congress were now clear. If the party went by the MLAs' viewpoint, Amarinder Singh would be named state Congress chief. If it decided to strike a balance, it could name a person acceptable to Amrinder Singh as the PPCC chief and project the former as its CM candidate closer to elections. Sources also said Dalit, Hindu and Jat leaders would be given key positions.

Amarinder Singh's camp feels naming a third person as state party chief would not help as it would leave the leadership issue unclear. “The state unit chief is the most important functionary as he, along with AICC general secretary, selects candidates for the poll. Unless Amarinder Singh is made PPCC chief, the consultation exercise will serve no purpose,” said a leader.

But a section believes the Congress, to avert similar demands of leadership change in other states, may name someone acceptable to Amarinder Singh as state chief. “To be a CM contender, you don’t have to be the state chief yourself,” a Congress source argued, admitting the scales were tilted heavily in Amarinder Singh's favour.

In 2012, out of the 45 Congress MLAs that won, the names of 39 were recommended by Amarinder Singh.

PPSC tussle: Options before high command

Name Amarinder as PPCC chief and strike a caste balance by naming a Dalit and Hindu leader on other key posts

Name a person acceptable to Amarinder as state chief and Capt as CM candidate or campaign panel leader closer to poll

Scales titled in Amarinder's favour if Rahul goes by the majority view