Veteran Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh has the party’s reins in his hands again in Punjab. The party high command on Friday formally announced his much-anticipated appointment as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief.
Amarinder’s appointment as PPCC chief for the third time, with an eye to the ensuing State Assembly polls in 2017, is expected to give a new lease of life to the faction-ridden party in the State.
The post did not come easily to Amarinder as Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi took months to gauge the situation before forming the new party structure for Punjab.
Rahul Gandhi held a series of meetings with Punjab MlAs, senior party leaders, district heads, block presidents, among others, for months. He even gave a patient hearing to both Bajwa and Amarinder, several times.
Amarinder’s appointment came a day after the party high command has asked his predecessor Partap Singh Bajwa and Congress legislative Party (ClP) leader Sunil Jakhar to submit their resignations paving way for the comprehensive rejig in the State party unit.
Besides, the party has also announced the appointment of senior leader and MlA lal Singh’s name as PPCC’s senior vice-president. He is the prominent OBC face in the State.
The party has also cleared the name of senior party leader and former Union Minister Ambika Soni as the chairperson of the Campaign Committee for the next Punjab Assembly elections in 2017. Dalit leader and MlA Sadhu Singh Dharamsot will be the vice-chairman of the Campaign Committee.
ludhiana MP and the grandson of former State Chief Minister Beant Singh Ravneet Singh Bittu has been appointed as the convener of the Campaign Committee.
“The Congress president has appointed Capt Amarinder Singh, MP, as president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect,” said AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi in a party’s official release.