Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 19
Hours before the announcement of the name of the new CLP leader, hectic political activity was witnessed on Sunday morning to finalise the name of new party leader in the state.
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 yesterday 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 today.
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.
“Two resolutions — one praising Amarinder Singh’s contributions towards Punjab and another authorising President Sonia Gandhi to select the new CLP leader — were unanimously passed,” he said.
Hectic parleys entire night to decide new Punjab CLP leader
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