Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 18
The sudden and unceremonious exit of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh signals the pre-eminence of the Gandhi siblings in the decision-making structure of the Congress and holds lessons for party veterans going forward.
“The message in the story is — anything is possible,” said a Congress insider describing the midnight decision of the AICC to convene a Punjab CLP meeting on Saturday as a “surgical strike” on Capt Amarinder whom, sources said, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra increasingly viewed as “inaccessible, close to SAD and low-performing”.
The trigger amp; course correction
- The trigger was a letter by 60 MLAs to the Congress chief seeking replacement to offset ‘anti-incumbency’ in state. The MLAs were ‘unwilling’ to work with Capt anymore
- Most party men had hoped Captain would be replaced as CM after Sidhu’s appointment as PPCC chief to avoid parallel power centres, said party sources
- Matters worsened due to public acrimony between the two. Poll prospects diminishing, Rahul and Priyanka pressed for something ‘drastic’ and the party pulled the plug on CM
The trigger for CM’s resignation was a recent letter by 60 party MLAs to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, seeking his replacement to offset “anti-incumbency” and saying in no uncertain terms they would not be able to work with him anymore. “With the majority of legislators against the CM, there was no option but to replace him,” said a Congress functionary, asserting the party gave Capt Amarinder ample time to set the house in order. While Sonia, known to have backed Capt Amarinder against graver rebellions, gave the CM a long rope, the Gandhi siblings are learnt to have pressed for something “drastic”, especially after the BJP overhauled the entire Gujarat Cabinet.
Among issues that weighed against Capt Amarinder were — he was not meeting MLAs regularly enough and the distance had led to alienation among lawmakers and party workers; he addressed few public functions in Punjab; and even ministers did not have direct access to him. “Inaccessibility remained a major challenge with Capt Amarinder and continued to be repeatedly raised, finding traction with Rahul and Priyanka,” said a source.
Matters worsened due to constant public acrimony between PCC chief Navjot Sidhu and Capt Amarinder, with the party’s electoral prospects visibly hit. “This demanded immediate course correction,” said an AICC source.
Rahul, Priyanka stamp writ large
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