Congress President Sonia Gandhi is expected to carry out a reshuffle in the organisation by naming a couple of vice presidents of the AICC besides changing the state unit chiefs in a few states.
Discussions have been held in the party for carrying out changes in the states where assembly elections are due next year, including in Punjab and Uttarakhand, besides naming poll committees in Uttar Pradesh and Goa.
Changes are also expected in West Bengal and Bihar – two states where the Congress fared poorly in the assembly elections and Gandhi is likely to name successors to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Madan Mohan Jha respectively.
At the AICC level, Gandhi is expected to name a couple of vice presidents to accommodate the disgruntled leaders from among veterans and the youth, while in Parliament Shashi Tharoor is learnt to be the front runner for the post of the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha.
However, a section of the party leaders are opposed to having AICC vice presidents and contended that an advisory panel set up to assist the Congress President already exists and the same could be revamped.
Gandhi is also expected to announce changes in Punjab where Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and bete noire Navjot Singh Sidhu are still locked in a war of words.
A reshuffle of the council of ministers in Rajasthan too is long over due and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has agreed to accommodate supporters of arch rival Sachin Pilot in the government.
(Published 09 July 2021, 16:55 IST)
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