Capt Amarinder Singh has rewarded his loyalist and the Punjab Congress has got a Hindu face in the appointment of Sunil Jakhar as the State party chief.
The Congress, in a strategic move, decided to hand over the State's reins to its Hindu leader after the party succeeded in wooing back its traditional vote bank of Hindu voters in the 2017 polls that catapulted it back in the saddle.
It may be for the first time in the recent past that the Congress has opted to give three top slots in the State to its Hindu leaders - Jakhar as State party president, Brahm Mohindra as second-in-command in the State Government, and Rana KP Singh as Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker.
Former Minister and three-time MlA Jakhar is among the State Congress' top leaders who faced defeat in the recent Assembly polls other than Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Kewal Singh Dhillon, Jagmohan Singh Kang, among others. He had lost to a political greenhorn and BJP candidate Arun Narang from his citadel, Abohar.
Jakhar, who has replaced Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, was rewarded for his loyalties towards the Patiala Royal. Capt Amarinder had hard-pressed Jakhar's name as his replacement after he took over as Chief Minister.
It was Jakhar who led from the front Capt Amarinder's campaign to remove Partap Singh Bajwa as State unit chief, and even step down as Congress legislative Party (ClP) leader to pave way for Maharaja to the party's apex post in the State.
Since then, he has been in political backwoods. He lost 2014 lok Sabha elections from Ferozepur. Even, the party High Command did not accommodate the senior leader to any of the three Rajya Sabha seats filled the previous year.
Capt Amarinder, as PPCC chief, tried to accommodate Jakhar by appointing him as party's "chief spokesperson". But reports of fissures between the two appeared allegedly for "overlooking" him in the party.
Names of former MlA and PPCC senior vice-president lal Singh and ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu were also being discussed for the top post. But as the party appointed lal Singh as Punjab Mandi Board chief, it had become almost evident that Jakhar's name would soon be declared.
"The party was looking for a leader with tall stature, clean image and acceptability among the cadre…Besides, it was also felt that there was a need to give representation to non-Jats…and Jakhar fits the bill," a senior Congress leader told 'The Pioneer.'
Other than the Chief Minister, Jakhar is also enjoying the support of most of the party legislators. Jakhar is also said to have a good rapport with Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who has reportedly approved his appointment as PPCC chief.
His honest and reliable persona that even his rivals believe in is also said to have worked in his favour.
If that is not enough, his rich political legacy is also an added factor. He is the son of former lok Sabha Speaker and senior Congress leader Balram Jakhar.