Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the Working Committee meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: Twitter/@INCIndia) As the Congress declared that it would elect its new president between August and September next year, party leaders in Punjab said that AICC leader Rahul Gandhi should have taken over the party’s reins before Punjab polls to ensure PPCC house stays in order in the crucial election year.
The Congress Working Committee met amid simmering feud in the party’s Punjab unit on Saturday.
State Congress leaders said that since Rahul was already handling the infighting crisis in Punjab, giving him full control would have helped the state unit.
“While Sonia Gandhi told the CWC that she was the full-time president, Rahul Gandhi should have taken over formally. He is young, but is coming across as a reluctant leader, who is not willing to steer the Congress ship during the polls in key states. It is going to affect us in Punjab especially when Sidhu and Chief
Minister Charanjit Singh Channi are likely to keep sparring in the days to come,” a senior leader said on condition of anonymity.
Another leader said, “To handle Punjab feud, we will need a young and energetic leader. Had it not been for elections, it would not have mattered much. But now, we are faced with polls. People will mock us that our leader feels we will not win and that is why he is not taking over formally and indicating that he may take over next year.”
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the CWC, Rahul had a brief meeting with Channi, who was invited for the CWC. Rahul is learnt to have briefed Channi about issues raised by Sidhu.
During the CWC, Rahul also mentioned Channi’s appointment as CM, saying that when AICC chief Sonia Gandhi told Channi he would be the CM, he was so overwhelmed that he cried.
Channi later endorsed what Rahul Gandhi said and told the CWC that he being a member of the Scheduled Caste community and coming from an ordinary background could never have dreamt of becoming the chief minister, but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have struck on the very core of inequality in society.
Channi, Sidhu meet today
Sources said Sidhu is likely to be attend a meeting with Channi in Chandigarh to take a call on the Congress campaign in the state.
“Sidhu has been asked to be in Chandigarh tomorrow. Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will also be there. The party will finalise a company that would carry out its campaign in the state,” a source said.
“AICC observer Harish Chaudhary and Rahul’s aide Krishna Allavaru will be there. The meeting will also have PPCC general secretary incharge Pargat Singh besides Sidhu and Channi. After finalising the company, the party will start its campaign soon,” said the source.
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