Having passed the litmus test in lohardaga bypoll with a thumping win, Sukhdeo Bhagat is all set to retain the Jharkhand Congress president post. Sources close to him suggest that Bhagat’s latest meetings with the party national president and vice-president have affirmed to his position besides, going ahead with a refurbished State Committee.
“Sukhdeo Bhagat met Rahulji on Tuesday and Soniaji later on. Both the leaders have shown willingness to retain him as president of Jharkhand Congress. There are no chances of any face change at the top while some serious restructuring would take place in the organisation lower down the order,” said a general secretary of Pradesh Congress Committee.
The input is significant considering the talks coming out about the face change post-lohardaga bypoll. It was learnt that Bhagat, to garner support of his rival camp in the State Congress, has entered into a kind of deal with those spearheading the faction. As per the agreement he would have to make way for a new face of their choice after the bye-election.
Notably, Bhagat was badly looking for the support from leaders such as Dheeraj Sahu and Rameshwar Oraon to win lohardaga seat. He could not win on two consecutive previous occasions and managed finally this time but not before securing open backing from the local stalwarts that contributed immensely to his successful voyage to the Assembly with over 23,000 votes.
Though, the party maintained that there was no such understanding. “It is not true. Does anybody leave presidential post after winningIJ The support of Dheeraj Sahu and the rest was unconditional,” said senior party functionary Alok Kumar Dubey. Insiders, at the same time, suggest that the unwritten understanding was there without taking the party high command in loop. However, with Sukhdeo Bhagat emerging as a stronger leader, its materialisation does not look in sight.
“At the most, some new faces closer to the rival leaders may figure into the relooked team which is all set to replace the existing one within a fortnight. Bhagat, in his meeting with the high command, has proposed to dismantle the PCC and for inclusion of newer, younger and more active faces into it,” added Dubey.
The incumbent team is in place for over two years. The president is of the view that the PCC has accumulated some inactive names which are needed to be replaced for improved show by the party in the State.
Before the silver lining coming from lohardaga, the State Congress was under dark clouds and was reduced from 14 members in 2009 to five after 2014 Assembly polls. Inputs suggest that faces such as Shashi Bhusan Rai, Rajesh Gupta and Gulfam Mujibee may face an axe.