MP, Haryana, Delhi Congress set for revamp

After Jharkhand, the Congress units in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi are set to undergo a revamp.

AICC General Secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia and former CLP leader Ajay Singh are considered as front-runners for the job of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, while in Delhi, it could be a toss-up between former state unit chief Ajay Maken and Devendra Yadav.

In Haryana, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is making all-out efforts to make a comeback in the state Congress which is headed by young Dalit leader Ashok Tanwar.

Scindia, who lost the Lok Sabha elections from his family bastion Guna in Madhya Pradesh, was tipped to be named the state Congress chief ahead of the assembly elections last year. However, the party chose veteran leader Kamal Nath who later went on to become the Chief Minister.

Speculation about Scindia joining the BJP gained momentum after he praised the Modi government for reading down Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir that left the Congress squirming. On the other hand, Scindia's arch detractor Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya, a staunch critic of the Gwalior Royals, welcomed the Congress leader's statement saying he had chosen 'Bharat Mata' over Rahul Gandhi.

BJP leaders have kept the rumour mills going as it helps them portray a picture of the state Congress in disarray, particularly when Scindia has the support of 25 MLAs in the Kamal Nath government which enjoys a slender majority.

While Congress leaders from Delhi and Haryana have met Congress President Sonia Gandhi to discuss the future plans for the party, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath is expected to meet the leadership in a day or two, thus setting in motion a rejig of the state unit.

In Delhi, P C Chacko, the AICC in-charge of the Delhi Congress met Gandhi on Thursday and expressed his desire to step down. Former Union Minister Tariq Anwar, who quit the NCP to rejoin the Congress, is tipped to succeed Chacko.