New Delhi: Faced with sliding electoral fortune since the Lok Sabha poll debacle, Congress is likely to make leadership changes in a number of states, which will also lead to a shake-up in the AICC, where some young general secretaries could be appointed.
The changes, likely to be announced, might see a stamp of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi with a number of young leaders taking over the party’s reins both in states and AICC.
The reshuffle could see new PCC chiefs in a number of states. AICC general secretary Ajay Maken replaces Arvinder Singh Lovely in Delhi and former Union Minister Bharat Singh Solanki replaces Arjun Modhwadia in Gujarat. There are indications of change of PCC chiefs in Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Telangana as well.
Former Union Minister Solanki was today made Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President in place of Modhwadia who had resigned after the party scored a duck in the state in the Lok Sabha polls last year.
Congress had decided to name AICC general secretary Maken as the new chief of the party unit in Delhi where Congress suffered a wipe-out in the last assembly polls. In Punjab, the name of Lal Singh, a close aide of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is doing the rounds. A leader said that that while incumbent Partap Singh Bajwa is to be replaced, but Amarinder Singh, who had raised a banner of revolt against Bajwa, is unlikely to become PCC chief. Lal Singh is a choice of the former CM.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was keen for changes in leadership in some states particularly Gujarat and Maharashtra. Names of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik are doing rounds for Maharashtra PCC chief.
The reshuffle could see some leaders in states close to
Gandhi being brought in the AICC. Meanwhile, Congress’ Central Election Authority Chairman M Ramachandran has asked PCC chiefs to ensure that maximum number of people are enrolled in the membership drive. “If the AICC meeting decides to introduce ‘Active Member’ concept, CEA will issue detailed guidelines to recognise all those Congress workers who have enrolled 25 members in the past, as active members,” his letter said
