Congress leaders are upset with Amarinder’s adversary ‘being given importance’.
New Delhi: With several state units facing internal fights, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s intervention in Punjab matters may add to problems for Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka Vadra’s move to meddle in the Punjab issue may further complicate the ongoing battle between old guards and young leaders. Moreover, she will be expected to intervene in other states as well.
This may also lend credence to the story about differences between Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra. With the Punjab crisis continuing to be unresolved despite Priyanka Vadra’s intervention, the problem in the Uttarakhand unit is assuming greater proportions at the same time. Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat, who is in charge of Punjab, is running his parallel party system. He is trying to get Rahul Gandhi’s pick Pritam Singh removed as PCC president. Rawat wants one of his loyalists from Kumaun appointed in his place. As a result, several of Uttarakhand Congress leaders are camping in Delhi. Unlike Navjot Singh Sidhu, none of them has access to the Gandhis. Leaders such as Yashpal Arya had left Congress during the last polls simply because they were not allowed to meet Rahul. Pritam Singh wants the party to fight elections under his leadership. There are indications that Harish may be appointed president of the election campaign committee. Senior Congress leader Kishore Upadhyay is also trying to get the post of PCC chief. He says that the CLP leader post should go to a leader from Kumaun.
It is a ticklish task for Rahul Gandhi to resolve the crisis. As regards Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu is adamant to be state unit head. According to sources, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has said that if Sidhu’s demand is fulfilled, then he will quit the party. What is to be seen is whether Sidhu ends up being the campaign committee top post or chooses some other path. The entire development has led to embarrassment for both Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi. Many say that Priyanka Vadra should not have met Navjot Singh Sidhu, because the committee set up by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi was rendered meaningless after such a meeting. Rahul Gandhi appears to be sidelined in the development. Several leaders are not happy with the way Priyanka Vadra engaged herself in Sidhu’s matter.
Meanwhile, Haryana leaders have also sought the PCC chief post to Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Rajasthan is already on the boil. The situation in the states such as Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Karnataka is no different.