Bajwa, Jahkar quit; Capt’s elevation on cards

Friday, 27/11/2015

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=145177&boxid=63401&uid=&dat=2015-11-27

Chandigarh : Putting an end to months of speculation, Congress high command is expected to announce the new team of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) soon with incumbent party president Partap Singh Bajwa and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Sunil Kumar Jakhar quitting their offices on Thursday. Bajwa and Jakhar’s resignations, which have been accepted by the party chief Sonia Gandhi, are understood to have paved the way for the elevation of former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh as the new PPCC president. Bajwa, said sources, is likely to be adjusted in the AICC with the party elevating him as general secretary besides promising a Rajya Sabha seat. Sources said Bajwa, who was alrday in Delhi, submitted his resignation in person and had a brief meeting with the party supremo too.

Sources said there is likelihood that Jakhar will be reappointed as the CLP leader and the structuring of the party’s state unit could see senior party leader Ambika Soni being named as the Campaign Committee chairperson. It is learnt that while Capt exhorted to retain Jakhar as the CLP leader but in case the high command does not give its nod, either senior leader Lal Singh or Sadhu Singh Dharamsot may be elevated as the CLP leader. Another Congress leader Dr Raj Kumar Verka too is likely to get an important assignment in the Campaign Committee. “This way party will be able to give due representation to various sections including Dalit community that constitutes one third of the electorate in Punjab,” a senior AICC leader said, while hoping to call a truce between warring Punjab Congress leaders. Bajwa and Capt had been on logger heads since Bajwa was handpicked for the post by Rahul Gandhi after ruling SAD-BJP alliance stormed to power in 2012 elections. Capt had even publicly expressed his ‘grouses’ against Rahul Gandhi for delaying the leadership issue in Punjab. Further, to prove his strength within the party, Amritsar MP, who is also Deputy Leader of the Congress parliamentary in the Lok Sabha, had held a series of successful political rallies and meetings in past few months reaffirming his ‘undisputed hold’ over the party cadre.

Commanding support of majority of party MLAs and cadre, Capt Singh, however, faces a daunting task of cutting the Aam Aadmi Party to a size as due to lack of a stiff and strong opposition from the Congress , the AAP had been repeatedly raising ruling alliance’s failures and thus has succeeded in making its presence felt.