Punjab: Rahul Gandhi behind shake-up that began 4 months back
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi’s tweet congratulating new Punjab CM Charanjit Channi attempted to recommend a continuity from Amarinder Singh as he said “we will keep on fulfil the promises made to the people of Punjab”. In any case, the tweet couldn’t hide the fact that the break is clinical and generous, where the party has cut down its tallest state satrap in the midst of a surround sound of governance failure.
The Congress chief who may again assume the party presidentship in future, has been in the main part of a political shakeup in Punjab that began around four months ago. The rise of maverick Navjot Sidhu as the state unit chief followed by continuous attacks on Amarinder Singh and and then his ouster, are broadly seen to have the backing of the Gandhi siblings-Rahul and Priyanka Vadra.
By general reckoning, Rahul owns the Punjab shake up and it would be his in victory or defeat. The survey bound state presents must-win scenario for beleaguered Congress that has witnessed serious defeats post-2019 Lok Sabha decimation. The worst has been Kerala where Congress recently failed to return to power despite the state’s history of voting out the ruling party and where Congress swept the Lok Sabha polls.
There are not kidding worries over the Punjab move concerning its late timing near the state poll, the between time or “stop-gap” nature of the new CM, the likely voter distaste for factionalism in the event that it proceeds or more all the circumstance where Navjot Sidhu, the high command’s “choice”, having to wait till victory in the next poll.
The flurry of gatherings that Rahul was involved in with party chief Sonia Gandhi, senior pioneer Ambika Soni and his nearby assistants, other than confabulating with the central observers in Chandigarh, over most recent two days, have only intensified the focus on him.
Source: The Times Of India