Rita Bahuguna resigns

The Sword of Damocles is hanging over many Congress leaders following the party’s dismal show in the recent assembly polls.

Party sources said many heads will roll as Congress president Sonia Gandhi is upset over the poll outcome in UP, Punjab and Goa and also not too pleased with the results in Uttarakhand where she feels the party should have won comfortably.

“There are strong indications that she will effect organisational changes after party's poor performance….but that might happen only after the budget session,” a senior leader said.

A section in the party, however, ruled out immediate rejig on the ground that Bihar Congress president Mehboob Ali Kaiser continues to hold the post even months after he quit.

“But this time she is certainly going to fix the responsibility….stakes were high in these elections,” another countered. Sources said Gandhi is more disturbed over results in Punjab where the party snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and let the incumbent Akali Dal rewrite history by retaining power.

In the line of fire are state presidents Rita Bahuguna Joshi (UP), Amarinder Singh (Punjab), Subhash Shirodkar (Goa) and Yashpal Arya (Uttarakhand). While Joshi handed over her resignation to Gandhi on Friday, Amarinder has already expressed his willingness to step down.

Similarly, central leaders in charge of states will not be let off. UP in-charge Digvijaya Singh has reportedly offered his resignation to Gandhi on Tuesday. But the axe is going to fall on Punjab in-charge Gulchain Charak, who, many say, is an ‘inconsequential entity’. Goa in-charge is also facing the flak. The party will hold a chintan bhaitak (meet) after Budget.