Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra Rajni Patil has once again been made the incharge of the Himachal Congress, replacing Rajeev Shukla.
Patil (66) has been entrusted the task of being the party incharge for Himachal for the second time.
She is familiar with Himachal politics and the Congress organisation in the hill state as prior to this, she remained the party incharge from 2018 to 2020 for almost two years.
Being a seasoned leader who has remained a Lok Sabha MP, she faces the challenge of taking along all factions and leaders, especially Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the state Congress president Pratibha Singh, former Mandi MP and wife of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh.
She will have to strike a balance between all senior leaders, ministers and MLAs to forge unity, especially in the backdrop of a revolt by six Congress MLAs in the run-up to the Rajya Sabha elections in February 2024.
There is complete uncertainty whether Pratibha will be allowed to continue or the party will get a new president. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who remained an arch rival of Virbhadra, would like to get his own man installed as the party president but eventually it is the high command which will have the final say.
Patil’s appointment has come at a time when the central high command dissolved the party units and all committees, almost three months back.
As such her appointment has come at a crucial time when the entire party organisation is to be revamped. Also, the panchayat elections are due in November, later this year, necessitating the need for strengthening the party and gearing up the party cadres.
The delay in revamping the party and various organisational outfits is causing major concern among the senior leaders as well as the party cadre.
Some senior leaders, including ministers too, have not hesitated to express their angst in the delay over revamp of the party set-up, especially after the Congress debacle in the Delhi Assembly polls.
Murmurs of resentment over the Congress organisation lying defunct are already being heard as earlier this week, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar stated that the party set-up was almost paralysed.
He said the party would have to be strengthened at the grassroots level as putting up candidates once the polls are announced does not work. Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil echoed similar concerns while stating that it was essential to revamp and strengthen the party.
AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal issued the list of the new party incharge for nine states, including Himachal, late last night.
As per the new appointments made by Congress president Mallikaarjun Kharge, Patil has also been made the in-charge for Chandigarh along with Himachal.