CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress has finalised the new body of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), which would now be sent to the party's central leadership for approval.
PPCC president Sunil Jakhar met CM Amarinder Singh on Friday to discuss the proposed structure, which is believed to have been pruned to make it less 'top-heavy'. Also, the names are a mix of young and experienced leaders while those who have made it to the legislative assembly or appointed heads of boards and corporations have been replaced.
Sources said former cabinet minister and Amritsar (East) MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu's name does not appear on any position in the list despite there being talk of bringing him back into the party's activities. Jakhar himself had offered to step down if the party leadership wanted to accommodate Sidhu as the state president, added sources.
"If that was the case then the party would have waited before finalising the list. The new president would have liked to choose his own team. It seems the party leadership would want to make some other offer to Sidhu to placate him," said a party leader.
Party's in-charge of Punjab affairs Asha Kumari had told TOI on Wednesday that Sidhu was welcome to join the council of ministers the day he wants. She said he continues to be an integral part of the party. However, she had expressed ignorance about any other offer being made to Sidhu to accommodate him. "The new body has been more or less finalised at Friday's meeting with the chief minister," said a party leader.
The top-heavy PPCC presently has over 2,000 secretaries and over 50 vice-presidents. Sources said the Punjab leadership is expecting the list to be given a nod by the party high command in around two weeks.
A formal announcement to dissolve the PPCC was made by All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal on January 21. Earlier, the district Congress committee in chief minister's hometown Patiala was revamped in 2016 with 25 vice presidents and 69 general secretaries.
PPCC president Sunil Jakhar met CM Amarinder Singh on Friday to discuss the proposed structure, which is believed to have been pruned to make it less 'top-heavy'. Also, the names are a mix of young and experienced leaders while those who have made it to the legislative assembly or appointed heads of boards and corporations have been replaced.
Sources said former cabinet minister and Amritsar (East) MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu's name does not appear on any position in the list despite there being talk of bringing him back into the party's activities. Jakhar himself had offered to step down if the party leadership wanted to accommodate Sidhu as the state president, added sources.
"If that was the case then the party would have waited before finalising the list. The new president would have liked to choose his own team. It seems the party leadership would want to make some other offer to Sidhu to placate him," said a party leader.
Party's in-charge of Punjab affairs Asha Kumari had told TOI on Wednesday that Sidhu was welcome to join the council of ministers the day he wants. She said he continues to be an integral part of the party. However, she had expressed ignorance about any other offer being made to Sidhu to accommodate him. "The new body has been more or less finalised at Friday's meeting with the chief minister," said a party leader.
The top-heavy PPCC presently has over 2,000 secretaries and over 50 vice-presidents. Sources said the Punjab leadership is expecting the list to be given a nod by the party high command in around two weeks.
A formal announcement to dissolve the PPCC was made by All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal on January 21. Earlier, the district Congress committee in chief minister's hometown Patiala was revamped in 2016 with 25 vice presidents and 69 general secretaries.
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