- Sachin Pilot appointed Punjab Congress in-charge, replacing Bhupesh Baghel
- Pilot's main task is to unite Punjab Congress amid factionalism
- BJP in-charge for Punjab is also from Rajasthan
The Congress has carried out a major organisational reshuffle, appointing former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot as the new in-charge of Punjab Congress. Pilot's biggest challenge will be to end the internal differences and factionalism within the state unit as he replaces former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel in that position. Baghel gets charge of Assam now.
What makes the development more interesting is that two prominent leaders from Rajasthan will now find themselves on opposite sides of the political contest in Punjab. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), trying to become a major player in Punjab, has already appointed Rajya Sabha MP and party general secretary Satish Poonia as its Punjab in-charge.
Satish Poonia has the tough task of building BJP as a major player in Punjab.
Pilot Faces Challenge of Uniting Punjab Congress
Punjab Congress has been dealing with internal differences for some time now. Pilot's biggest challenge will, therefore, be to bring leaders and workers from different camps onto a common platform, such as those loyal to the state unit chief, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, and the camp of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi.
With this comes the challenge of strengthening the organisation at the booth level as elections in the AAP-ruled state are barely six months away.
There is an additional connection between Sachin Pilot and the current setup of Punjab Congress. In Rajasthan, Punjab Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had the role of party in-charge with Pilot in the state unit. That equation have now flipped as Randhawa is one of the main faces in Punjab Congress.
Congress Changes In-Charges in Several States
The Congress has made changes not only in Punjab but also in the organisational responsibilities of several states.
Randeep Singh Surjewala has been appointed Gujarat Congress in-charge. He will also continue to hold additional charge of Karnataka. While Bhupesh Baghel has been appointed the new Congress in-charge of Assam, Sukhdeo Bhagat has been appointed Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge. PV Mohan has bene given Andhra Pradesh. Dr Sirivella Prasad has been appointed Maharashtra Congress in-charge.
The party has also relieved Jitendra Singh, Ramesh Chennithala and Manickam Tagore of their current responsibilities as in-charges.
