Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 19
After hours of hectic meetings and feedback from MLAs, the AICC appointed Observers are learnt to have shortlisted the name of Sukhjinder Randhawa as the new CLP leader. He is a traditional Congressman and has been instrumental in taking on Capt Amarinder Singh.
Formal announcement after a while, said party sources.
Hectic political activity were witnessed on Sunday morning to finalise the name of the leader.
From late into the night till this morning, several rounds of discussion were held by the AICC appointed observers Ajay Maken and Harish Chaudhary, besides Punjab affairs in-charge Harish Rawat at a private hotel, where the observers are putting up.
Sources said different pressure groups of MLAs led by Sukhjinder Randhawa and Sunil Jakhar were seen in dialogue with the observers. Based on the feedback, the observers were in touch with party leader Rahul Gandhi.
The central leadership was keen to announce senior party leader Ambika Soni as CLP leader but the announcement was delayed on Saturday as pressure groups started lobbying for Sunil Jakhar and Sukhjinder Randhawa. The formal announcement on the CLP leader would be made in the CLP meeting on Sunday.
Former Punjab party president Sunil Jakhar is the frontrunner for the post of Chief Minister, sources said the party wants to project a non-Sikh face ahead of the polls to counter the AAP, which is gaining ground in the state.
Sources say that the party wants a Sikh, Navjot Singh Sidhu, as the state Congress chief and a non-Sikh CM candidate combination in the polls. Other names doing the rounds include Pratap Singh Bajwa and Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu.
A total of 78 out of the 80 MLAs, barring Amarinder Singh and another member, authorised Sonia Gandhi to pick the new CLP leader, the party’s state in-charge Harish Rawat told the media.
Sukhjinder Randhawa likely to be Punjab Chief Minister
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