FORCED EXIT

THE MOVE to remove AICC general secretary Ambika Soni as in-charge of the poll-bound Himachal Pradesh has come as a relief to many a Congress leaders and functionaries, particularly those in the state unit. Party insiders say that Ms Soni, probably, saw her exit coming. As a face-saver, she started saying in public that she had urged the party high command to “reduce her responsibilities”. As the Congress looks to bring in a strong team by replacing leaders who have repeatedly failed to deliver, Ms Soni knew that at her back she could hear — “time’s winged chariot hurrying near” (politically speaking). Some feel that the new team, which is getting ready to take over the organisation, wants the “dead wood” to go. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi around, the Congress “cannot afford to rely on people who cannot deliver”, party leaders say. Ms Soni’s performance as incharge of Uttarakhand was abysmal as the party suffered a humiliating defeat in the recent polls. Congress functionaries whisper that her “inactivity” and “inability” to contain the rebellion in the Uttarakhand state unit were the main reasons for the party’s failure to capitalise on the early advantage. She still continues to be in-charge of the Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir affairs. At a time when the BJP leaders are “working hard to earn their positions in the organisation”, Congress insiders accuse Ms Soni of remaining in power play “merely by managing to stay on the right side of the party high command”.