Failing to get them together on board to work for the party in the poll-bound Bihar, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday removed both PCC chief Anil Sharma and AICC in charge Jagdish Tytler from their posts. Low profile AICC secretary Mehboob Ali Kaiser and national general secretary Mukul Wasnik have replaced Mr Sharma and Mr Tytler respectively.
The move, as it is seen in the political circle, is also aimed at luring Muslim-dalit combine votes in the state.
“The two newly appointed leaders are the perfect bet for the party in the state, which is going to polls in four months from now. We will now be able to create a third corner in Bihar politics and can regain our lost grounds,” a senior party leader said.
According to an official statement issued by the party, though, Mr Sharma has not given any work in organisation either in the state or at Central level, Mr Tytler has replaced Mr Wasnik as in charge of Congress Seva Dal.
Mrs Gandhi’s action is aimed at setting the House in order for the party to successfully face the challenges posed by upcoming assembly elections in the state.
Mr Sharma and Mr Tytler had been at loggerhead for past many months and were seen sabotaging each other’s initiatives to re-activate the party in the state.
The decision, however, came close on the heels of about 100-odd PCC office bearers and executive committee members offering to quit from party posts.
Those who offered their resignation included MLAs, MLCs and former PCC chiefs like Sadanand Singh. Mr Kaiser also included among the leaders, who sought a change in the state leadership.
In a letter to Mrs Gandhi, the office-bearers of the PCC claimed the party was in shambles in the state.
Later they had also met AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi and explained to him the state of affairs in the Bihar unit and handed over a copy of the letter.
Earlier too, the state unit found itself in the middle of a controversy over inclusion of caste names in the list of various committees constituted to prepare for elections.