Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 18
Amid reports of AICC general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni’s reluctance to accept the responsibility of the new Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, AICC-appointed observers Harish Chaudhary and Ajay Maken, and Punjab affairs incharge Harish Rawat today deferred the decision on announcement of the new leader.
Top brass keen on Hindu face
With Hindu face as the CM, the party may appoint a Jat leader and a Dalit face as Deputy Chief Ministers to balance the caste equation. — A senior Congress leader
The announcement of party’s new leader by the AICC-appointed observers will be made at a CLP meeting called on Sunday. Within hours of Capt Amarinder Singh resigning as the Chief Minister, 78 party MLAs unanimously passed a resolution authorising party president Sonia Gandhi to decide on the new leader of the CLP. The other front-runners for the post are former PCC chief Sunil Jakhar and MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa.
The resolution was moved by senior party leader Brahm Mohindra. Another resolution moved by observer Maken appreciated the work done by Capt Amarinder Singh during his four-and-a-half-year tenure. Capt Amarinder stayed away from the meeting. Both resolutions have been forwarded to the party chief for a final call.
Efforts were still on to pursue Soni to accept the responsibility as she was the only consensus candidate. Senior leader such as Partap Bajwa and Sidhu are learnt to have reservations over Jakhar’s candidature. Contenders such as Sukhjinder Randhawa and Charanjit Channi may agree to Soni’s name, given her seniority. Sources said the top brass was keen on putting up a Hindu face as the CLP leader. “With Hindu face as the CM, the party may appoint a Jat leader and a Dalit face as Deputy Chief Ministers to balance the caste equation. Apart from Jakhar, senior leader Brahm Mohindra is another Hindu face,” said a senior party leader.
Sources said as the meeting started and the resolution was signed by the legislators, party leaders on the sidelines took up with Rawat whether to name a Hindu face as the CLP leader or the Sikh leaders who “waged the war” against Capt Amarinder.
TUSSLE WITHIN
April 9: Rebellion comes out in the open after HC quashes SIT report in the Kotkapura firing case
April 27: Then PCC chief Sunil Jakhar amp; Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Randhawa offer to quit on the issue
May 5: Rebel ministers join hands with Navjot Sidhu, other party leaders against Capt Amarinder Singh
May 7: Sidhu gets support of more MLAs, prompting party chief Sonia Gandhi to form a committee to look into squabbling
May 29: Panel headed by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge formed to listen to the grievances
June 11: Panel in report recommends keeping Capt in command, accommodating Sidhu by giving him a role in state unit
July 19: Sidhu takes charge as PCC chief, Capt opposes move. Four MLAs appointed his deputy, paving way for revamp in organisational structure
Aug 25: Rebels Sukhjinder Randhawa, Tript Bajwa, Sukbinder Sarkaria, Charanjit Channi and some MLAs call meeting of 40 MLAs seeking Capt’s ouster
Aug 28: CM resists campaign by rebels; pitches rebels’ adversaries such as Partap Bajwa against them
Sept 1: Punjab affairs in charge Harish Rawat meets Sidhu and Captain separately to defuse tension
Sept 17: AICC sends observers to conduct CLP meeting and oust Capt Amarinder Singh as CM
Sept 18: Capt Amarinder Singh submits resignation to Punjab Governor
Congress Legislature Party leader to be announced today in Punjab
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