Even as the Congress’ national leadership is making all out efforts to reorganise its Punjab unit, the party leaders back home are out to show their strength. The leaders in Punjab are launching their separate agitations against the ruling alliance Government, organising rallies in an apparent attempt to show their support base and individual strength.

Besides displaying their popularity, the leaders, through these programmes, are also trying to impress and send across the message to the party high command ahead of expected change of guard in the State.

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Pratap Singh Bajwa has separately announced agitations over the issue of drug menace and sugar mills across the State and is trying to motivate the other State leaders in joining them.

Party’s national general secretary and in-charge of Congress affairs in Punjab Shakeel Ahmed has been attending such programmes by the PPCC unit.

Bajwa is facing stiff opposition from the former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who has all along been pushing for a leadership change in the State unit. Announcing his plans separately, he has decided to organise two public meetings and rallies every week to galvanise the party cadres against the Akali-BJP regime. He has held 30 rallies so far.

Another senior party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, also a former Chief Minister, has called for unity in the state leadership and asked them to get together in ousting the Akali-BJP Government in the State and reach out to the people.

All the three leaders, in the recent past, have separately met the party's high command including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi and sought their intervention in resolving the leadership row in the State.

“We have launched an agitational plan against the sugar mills not starting crushing this year and will force the Government to intervene.

Such rallies are being held across the state and PPCC has announced a fast-unto-death on November 16 outside chief minister's residence if mills do not start crushing,” Bajwa said.

“Congress should put up a united front and come together on party platforms against the Akali-BJP Government. The leaders should also reach out to the public and win them over in ousting the ruling

combine. The issue of senior and junior leaders should be resolved amicably through proper coordination,” said Bhattal.

PPCC, under Bajwa, is holding a rally on September 1 in Sangrur, in Gurdaspur on September 6, in Valtoha on September 9 and in Kiri Afghana of Gurdaspur on September 12.

Bajwa has separately announced a padayatra across the state in six phases against the drug menace, starting October 2 from Pathanakot to Harike.