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Chandigarh: Reorgansation, leadership changes on the cards for Congress, AAP
Reorganisation and leadership changes are on the cards for Chandigarh Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after the Punjab election results are announced on Thursday
Reorganisation and leadership changes are on the cards for Chandigarh Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after the Punjab election results are announced on Thursday.
“The changes in Congress due after the poor performance in the MC polls were not taken up over because of the Punjab elections. There were concerns that it might adversely impact the party’s perception in the neighbouring state,” said a senior Congress leader.
Congress had failed to capitalise on the anti-incumbency factor against BJP in MC elections and was outstaged by first-timer AAP. Even though it improved its tally to eight seats from five compared to 2016 elections, but it came at the last spot in a three-party race for the MC house.
The party’s move to abstain from the mayoral elections, both in fielding its candidates and from voting, had also raised eyebrows within and outside the party. It was the first time in MC’s history that Congress didn’t play an active role in mayoral elections.
City party president Subhash Chawla had also come under criticism from certain party quarters for the loss. Reportedly, in his election report submission to the party high command, Chawla had left his fate as the party city chief in the hands of its national leadership. The internal pressure on the party has been consistently building up for his removal. Even Chawla has indicated his ambivalence over his continuation in the position.
While many senior party leaders left the party in the run-up to the elections, even after results, key party leader Devinder Singh Babla left the party and joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
AAP’s internal fissures
Even after success in its maiden MC elections, groupism persists within AAP, which even contributed to BJP winning both mayor and senior deputy mayor posts. While the party fought under the presidentship of Prem Garg, former Congress city chief and incumbent co-incharge Pardeep Chhabra came out stronger after the elections as many of the newly-elected councillors are from his camp.
“First, divisions cropped up over the issue of mayor candidate selection within rival groups. Then, these came out in open, when one of the AAP councillors voted in favour of BJP’s senior deputy mayor candidate. Even in the mayor election, many have alleged that one vote which was not counted because of “double-marking” could be intentional,” said a senior AAP leader.
Recently, during and in the aftermath of the UT Powermen Union strike, which brought the city to standstill, there were internal party differences over its stance toward the strike. While a section of party members, including some councillors supported the strike, others expressed opposition.
“All these dissentions have not gone unnoticed by the national leadership. While before elections, national leadership enforced coordinated working among different groups, after elections, they postponed a overhaul of the party, with sole focus on Punjab elections. Now, we expect major changes in the way party is organised, led and run in the city,” said a senior AAP functionary.
