Rahul takes steps to revitalise Punjab Cong

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has initiated yet another exercise to strengthen the party in Punjab, suggesting a shift from one-man leadership to a collective command structure. Manpreet Randhawa and Gaurav Sagar Bhaskar report.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has initiated yet another exercise to strengthen the party in Punjab, suggesting a shift from one-man leadership to a collective command structure.

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Infighting among seniors "who do not see eye to eye" was listed as a primary reason for the defeat in the assembly polls in March this year. However, even as Gandhi did not reject the option of change in leadership, in a breather for Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh, he asked the senior members to consider the option of a "coordination committee".

Sources said Gandhi met MLAs, MPs and former legislators during December 12-14 in New Delhi, where he said he wanted to make the party structure "more inclusive".

Singh and former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, who are often critical of each other, are among those who met Gandhi.

He also urged the members to be more aggressive towards the BJP, the junior alliance partner of the Akalis. The Congress must be pro-active like the opposition, and corner the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP on the deteriorating law and order situation, particularly pressing that the BJP "continues to be a mute spectator merely to enjoy power", a source quoted Rahul as saying.