Congress Plans to Change Top Leaders in Four States, Say Sources

Ahead of the Congress session in April, the party finally seems to be in revamp mode. Party chiefs of four states - Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Punjab - are going to be changed by this week, sources told NDTV. A formal announcement could be made as early as today.

On Sunday, Gujarat Pradesh Congress chief Arjun Modvadia tweeted that he has resigned his post. Former union minister and Gujarat leader Bharat Singh Solanki is likely to replace him.

In Madhya Pradesh, another BJP-ruled state, the Congress is likely to have a new chief. The choice is going to be a tricky one as the party seems to be divided into several camps. From Digvijaya Singh to Kamal Nath to Suresh Pachauri, it will be challenge to find a leader acceptable to all the factions.

"Jyotiraditya Scindia's name has been making the rounds. He seems a natural choice," said a leader who didn't wish to be named.

Punjab is another state where finding a replacement to Pratap Singh Bajwa is worrying the Congress, sources said.

Mr Bajwa, believed to be party vice-president Rahul Gandhi's choice, has failed to deliver in the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress couldn't take advantage of the anti-incumbency in the state and the anti-Akali votes went to the Aam Admi party.

Mr Bajwa was strongly attacked by Captain Amarinder Singh. The Captain, who defeated Union minister Arun Jaitley from Amritsar in the Lok Sabha elections last year, is keen on the post, sources said. He skipped the entire winter session of Parliament to register his protest against continuing with Mr Bajwa.

Mr Bajwa's supporters argue that Mr Singh couldn't win the assembly polls in 2011 despite being named a chief ministerial candidate in advance.

To keep both factions happy, a neutral contender, Lal Singh, is being discussed and Congress President Sonia Gandhi is likely to take a final call.

Telangana will also see a leadership change and Congress general secretary Ajay Maken is all set to return to Delhi politics to take up the task of rebuilding the party in Delhi.