More changes in Congress likely ahead of campaign launch

After appointing AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad as the party incharge for Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is all set to make more changes as it launches its campaign for the 2017 assembly election in the next few days.

The party in all probability would launch the campaign on or before July 17 as the monsoon session of Parliament is set to commence on July 18 and Azad is also the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

According to sources, the party may change two out of four All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretaries assisting Azad as the party’s UP incharge. Prakash Joshi and Zubair Khan may be asked to continue and camp in Lucknow till the end of the assembly election. Two new AICC secretaries may be appointed for UP to replace Rana Goswami and Naseeb Singh.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Nirmal Khatri may also be shifted and given a new assignment. A final decision on the issue is likely to be taken at the top party level soon.

Much will, however, depend on the chief ministerial face the party may announce for the 2017 assembly election.

Already, the names of senior party leaders like Rajya Sabha members Pramod Tiwari, Sanjay Singh, former union ministers Jitin Prasada, RPN Singh and former MP Rajesh Mishra are doing the rounds for the post. Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit’s name has also often figured as the party’s possible chief ministerial face in UP.

Sources said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may agree to campaign for the party in UP polls but a decision about her likely role in the party was yet to be taken.

Azad, along with other senior party leaders, has had long discussions with top party leaders on the issue.

Azad attended another high level meeting with the top party bosses in New Delhi on Friday to give a final shape to the strategy that political strategist Prashant Kishor has recommended for 2017 assembly elections. Although Khatri was in New Delhi on Friday, he was conspicuous by his absence at the meetings held about the party’s UP poll strategy.