New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday took a jibe at the Congress after the party appointed Sachin Pilot as the new Punjab in-charge, replacing former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, saying that the grand old party “knows how to play ‘musical chairs’ very well”.
Baghel has been appointed as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Assam, as part of an organisational reshuffle.
Speaking to IANS, BJP National Secretary Rohan Gupta said: “Congress knows how to play ‘musical chairs’ very well. Changing leaders, changing their seats, or changing locations won’t achieve anything. The Congress Party needs to change its policies and intentions. Look at the state of the four states where the people gave Congress an opportunity.”
Referring to the condition of Congress-ruled states, Gupta added: “Congress means corruption. Look at Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, or Himachal Pradesh. It has been four years of government in Himachal, and the promise of 1 lakh government jobs is still only on paper. How can the public trust them?”
While maintaining that the reshuffle is an internal matter of the Congress, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said: “However, it clearly demonstrates that either everything is not well within the Congress, or practically nothing is right because as long as it continues the ‘one family politics’, the party has a dark future. That is why Congress keeps on losing every election.”
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai likened the Congress’ move to that of British policy.
Speaking to reporters, CM Sai said: “Just as the British used to follow the policy of ‘divide and rule,’ they also adopt the same policy. Wherever they go, they create factionalism. Bhupesh Baghel ji was in charge of Punjab, where he faced opposition. Posters saying ‘Go Back’ were put up there. Perhaps this is the reason why his responsibility has been changed.”
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Harpal Singh Cheema took a jibe at Sachin Pilot’s appointment, saying: “No matter how many pilots Congress brings in, the entire Congress team in Punjab has been weakened, and they will not be able to make any impact.”
However, the Congress leaders welcomed the organisational reshuffle, expressing faith on Sachin Pilot’s leadership.
Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla told IANS: “Differences of opinion do arise within political parties, but when a new leader takes charge, such differences often fade away. We are hopeful that this will happen in this case as well. Sachin Pilot is an experienced as well as a young leader. He will be able to attract the Gen Z generation, which is currently emerging as a new force in politics across the state.”
“We are hopeful that, with his (Sachin Pilot’s) experience, he will strengthen the party organisation in Punjab,” he added.
Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai echoed, saying: “Sachin Pilot is a ground-level leader. He has been connected to the people from the beginning and understands everything.”
Denying reports of lobbying within the Punjab unit of the party, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said such organisational changes keep taking place within the party from time to time.
Referring to Sachin Pilot as an “experienced general secretary and a young leader”, Tiwari added: “Since Punjab is adjacent to Rajasthan, he has been brought in so that he can work more effectively. As far as our former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh (Bhupesh Baghel) is concerned, he has been given Assam. It is also an important state.”
–IANS
cg/khz
