Days after the Congress’ defeat in the Moga byelection, party chief Sonia Gandhi Tuesday removed Punjab unit chief Captain Amarinder Singh and appointed Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa in his place.

Former CM Singh was under a cloud after the party’s defeat to the Akali Dal in last year’s assembly polls. In a break from Congress tradition, Rahul Gandhi had named him chief ministerial candidate, a move that backfired. Singh was also criticized for failing to stem factionalism, and the bypoll result — which saw a sitting Congress legislator resign and join the Akali Dal — seemed to be the last straw.

However, another leader who worked with Rahul in the Youth Congress, Barmer (Rajasthan) MP Harish Chaudhary, was made AICC secretary and attached with the Punjab in-charge.