Cong readies formula to bring Capt, Bajwa together
Friday, 31/07/2015
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/
Chandigarh : A formula is being worked out by the Congress leadership to bring warring factions at a common platform to prepare the party for the 2017 state Assembly elections. Sources said the party would retain Bajwa as president of the PPCC. Capt Amarinder Singh, who has relatively higher influence in the party, would be made chairman of the campaign committee with a firm commitment that in case the party got majority, he would be made Chief Minister while the second slot would go to Bajwa.
At the time of distribution of ticket, a fine balance will be maintained among different factions and no group would be allowed clear domination. Efforts would be made to give maximum number of ticket to youngsters not allied with any camp. Party insiders said Bajwa had agreed to the proposal that he would accept Amarinder as CM provided the number two slot was given to him. Bajwa would be prepared, sources said, to campaign along with Amarinder if his due status was maintained in the party.
The talks with all main stakeholders in the party are on in the state. When asked, AICC general secretary and in charge of the party affairs in Punjab Shakeel Ahmed said: “Efforts are being at the top level to bring all top party leaders on one platform to a launch a joint campaign against the SAD-BJP government”.
He said he was hopeful that “everything would be in place after the conclusion of the current session of Parliament”. All senior leaders of the party are now busy and they would take a call on issues related to state affairs after the Parliament session.
As of now, the Congress is a divided house in the state. The dominant group having support of most MLAs is led by Amarinder and the other by Bajwa.
The Amarinder camp has been constantly building pressure on the party leadership for the past several months to replace Bajwa. The sources said the party top brass was not prepared to unceremoniously remove Bajwa and would rather work on the unity formula.
Refusing to talk much on what is happening inside the party on the matter, Shakeel said: “Amarinder has met party president Sonia Gandhi to present his point of view. Bajwa has also made his views known to all concerned.”
