<p>Congress president Sonia Gandhi appointed on Thursday former Haryana unit chief Kumari Selja and lawyer-politician Abhishek Singhvi as members of the party’s Working Committee.</p>.<p>Former Rajya Sabha member T Subbarami Reddy was made a Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee, while former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu was made a Special Invitee.</p>.<p>The new appointments came as the party began its revamp following the decisions taken last month at the Udaipur Chintan Shivir. Sonia had recently removed Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi as a CWC Special Invitee after he cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections, leading to the defeat of party candidate Ajay Maken.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/at-solidarity-meet-rahul-gandhi-says-congress-teaches-patience-1120409.html" target="_blank">At solidarity meet, Rahul Gandhi says Congress teaches patience</a></strong></p>.<p>The entry of Selja, who is considered close to Sonia, came as a compensation for her removal from the post of Haryana party chief, as well as ignoring her for a Rajya Sabha seat. Selja was at loggerheads with Haryana Congress strongman Bhupinder Hooda, who managed to install his loyalist Uday Bhan as party chief in the state.</p>.<p>Singhvi’s elevation came close on the heels of the exit of high-profile lawyer Kapil Sibal from the party. Singhvi was fielded by the party to put across its views on various contentious issues. He has also been acting as the party’s legal brain, including in the National Herald case where Sonia and former party president Rahul Gandhi were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate. Singhvi described it as a “weird case” where a money laundering case was being investigated when no transfer of money or property was transferred.</p>.<p>Reddy also made a comeback to national politics after he lost his Rajya Sabha membership following retirement. As the Congress has minimal presence in Telangana—where Reddy is from—the businessman-politician could not return to the Upper House.</p>.<p>Lallu had quit as the UP state party president after Congress’s dismal show in the state Assembly elections held earlier this year. He was being accommodated within the CWC for his organisational skills.</p>
<p>Congress president Sonia Gandhi appointed on Thursday former Haryana unit chief Kumari Selja and lawyer-politician Abhishek Singhvi as members of the party’s Working Committee.</p>.<p>Former Rajya Sabha member T Subbarami Reddy was made a Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee, while former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu was made a Special Invitee.</p>.<p>The new appointments came as the party began its revamp following the decisions taken last month at the Udaipur Chintan Shivir. Sonia had recently removed Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi as a CWC Special Invitee after he cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections, leading to the defeat of party candidate Ajay Maken.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/at-solidarity-meet-rahul-gandhi-says-congress-teaches-patience-1120409.html" target="_blank">At solidarity meet, Rahul Gandhi says Congress teaches patience</a></strong></p>.<p>The entry of Selja, who is considered close to Sonia, came as a compensation for her removal from the post of Haryana party chief, as well as ignoring her for a Rajya Sabha seat. Selja was at loggerheads with Haryana Congress strongman Bhupinder Hooda, who managed to install his loyalist Uday Bhan as party chief in the state.</p>.<p>Singhvi’s elevation came close on the heels of the exit of high-profile lawyer Kapil Sibal from the party. Singhvi was fielded by the party to put across its views on various contentious issues. He has also been acting as the party’s legal brain, including in the National Herald case where Sonia and former party president Rahul Gandhi were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate. Singhvi described it as a “weird case” where a money laundering case was being investigated when no transfer of money or property was transferred.</p>.<p>Reddy also made a comeback to national politics after he lost his Rajya Sabha membership following retirement. As the Congress has minimal presence in Telangana—where Reddy is from—the businessman-politician could not return to the Upper House.</p>.<p>Lallu had quit as the UP state party president after Congress’s dismal show in the state Assembly elections held earlier this year. He was being accommodated within the CWC for his organisational skills.</p>
