Cong ‘dissenters’ hopeful after change of guard in Punjab

Ranchi: Several dissenting MLAs and workers of the state Congress unit, some of whom also went to Delhi recently to meet the party’s central leadership, are expecting a major overhaul in the party set up after the change of guard in the Punjab unit of Congress on Sunday night. State finance minister Rameshwar Oraon is currently the state party president.
One of the first-time MLAs, who has been pressing hard for the removal of the state president, said requesting anonymity, “I have got information that state Congress will be revamped in another two months. Many of us have been demanding the party leadership to implement the ‘one-man, one-post’ policy. By that logic, the present state president must be removed from his position.”
Another MLA said the functioning of the state party leadership must be questioned when majority of the MLAs and the workers seem unhappy.
“I have nothing personal against the state president but there must be something wrong when so many voices of dissent are coming from different sections within the party. Moreover, implementing the ‘one-man, one-post’ policy would help a deserving person become the state party president,” he said.
Oraon couldn’t be contacted for his comments as his phone remained out of range. Speaking earlier, he had said that he was bound to do whatever was asked by the central leadership. Meanwhile, three former state party presidents — Sukhdeo Bhagat, Pradeep Balmuchu and Ajoy Kumar — were reportedly lobbying for different positions. While Bhagat and Balmuchu were trying hard to rejoin the party, which they had deserted before the assembly polls, Kumar, who rejoined in Delhi last year, is said to be lobbying for the state president post again.