Rebels want Captain Amarinder Singh to head Punjab Congress; oppose Ambika Soni

NEW DELHI: The rift between Punjab Congress rebels led by Captain Amarinder Singh and AICC establishment has escalated with the former opposing the central leadership's pitch to make senior leader Ambika Soni the new state Congress president in place of the besieged Pratap Singh Bajwa. The rebels, it is also learnt, have also made it clear to the leadership their preferred candidate to head the PCC ahead of the assembly elections is Amarinder Singh himself.

The rebels' protest against the move to name Soni, currently a senior AICC general secretary, as a compromise candidate to head the PPCC (ET was first to report on July 15) after they rejected two preferred candidates of Rahul Gandhi — Ranveet Singh Bittu and Amarinder Singh Raja Brar — has prompted the AICC to try another round of negotiations with Amarinder Singh. "Ambikaji's name is under consideration (for the post of PCC chief). But the leadership would like to have a sitting with Captain saheb before taking a final decision," a senior party leader said. Bajwa, incidentally is the first PCC chief handpicked by Rahul Gandhi.

A source close to Amarinder said many state leaders, during their separate recent meetings with Sonia Gandhi and some AICC representatives, had given their views about the pending issue. "Ambikaji is a senior leader and we all have personal regard for her. But given the situation in Punjab and the state of affairs in state Congress, we need someone who is rooted, charismatic and experienced in rallying the party leaders, workers and people for a tough battle. The overwhelming view among Congress MLAs and state leaders is that Captain Sahib is the right person to lead the party and we know the high command, too, is aware of it," said a source in Punjab Congress.

The dinner Amarinder Singh hosted a couple of days ago in Chandigarh, attended by 33 of the total 43 Congress MLAs, is seen as his show of strength. Team Rahul is apprehensive if rebels are allowed to have their choice in Punjab, it would embolden similar rebellions in other states. They point out how Congress lost the last elections in Punjab under Amarinder's leadership.