Adhir may be replaced as Cong leader in LS? Here are the likely contenders

Amid speculation about the change in Congress’s leadership in Lok Sabha, several names are being seen as a possible replacement for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-term Member of Parliament

Published on: Jul 13, 2021, 13:51:52 IST

By Saubhadra Chatterji

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Amid speculation about the change in Congress’s leadership in Lok Sabha, several names are being seen as a possible replacement for Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-term Member of Parliament. Here are some of the names:

Manish Tewari: A former Union minister, who represents Punjab’s Anandpur Sahib, Tewari is seen as a strong contender. He is deep-rooted within the party, having risen through the ranks after heading the Congress’s students and youth wings. Two Congress leaders said Tewari’s name was proposed as head of the party in Lok Sabha in 2019 but the leadership opted for seniority as criteria for the role. Tewari’s elevation will be significant as elections are due in Punjab next year.

Also Read | Monsoon session of Parliament from July 19-August 13, says LS Speaker Om Birla

Gaurav Gogoi: The son of late three-time former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi is the party’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha. He is seen to be close to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and known for his oratory skills. But the Congress’s failure in winning the Assam election this year may work against his elevation.

Shashi Tharoor: A former Union minister, Tharoor is the other big contender as a lawmaker from Kerala, where the Congress in 2019 swept the Lok Sabha polls even as it lost the second national election in a row. But the case related to his wife’s death may go against his elevation.

Ravneet Singh Bittu: The Member of Parliament from Punjab’s Ludhiana was given charge of the party in Lok Sabha when Chowdhury was busy campaigning for the March-April West Bengal polls. Many saw this as a possible sign of him eventually replacing Chowdhury. Bittu too is seen to be close to the Gandhi family. If Tewari gets the charge of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Bittu can emerge as a serious contender from the state for the party’s leadership in Lok Sabha.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Saubhadra Chatterji
Saubhadra Chatterji is Deputy Political Editor at the Hindustan Times. He writes on both politics and policies.

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.