The Congress high command's newly appointed three-member team of observers for Punjab, comprising Ajay Maken, Meenakshi Natarajan, and Bhajan Lal Jatav, is set to begin one-on-one interactions with Punjab Congress leaders in Delhi. This move comes ahead of the Assembly elections expected in November.
However, the decision has created unease within Punjab Congress circles. Critics argue that the three observers, all close confidants of Rahul Gandhi, have limited understanding of Punjab politics or have faced multiple electoral defeats. Ajay Maken, who serves as AICC Treasurer, has seen his electoral fortunes decline since 2015, including losing the Rajya Sabha contest from Haryana in 2022. Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for a Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh was recently rejected, while Bhajan Lal Jatav, an MP from Rajasthan, is also viewed as lacking insight into Punjab's complex caste and regional dynamics.
A senior Congress leader, speaking anonymously, stated, "When the party is looking to revive its fortunes in Punjab, sending leaders who have little recent success on the ground raises doubts about the seriousness of the exercise."
This is not the first time Congress has deployed observers to Punjab. In September 2021, the party sent Ajay Maken, Harish Chaudhary, and Harish Rawat to manage the leadership change from Captain Amarinder Singh to Charanjit Channi. However, the Congress was reduced to just 18 seats in the 2022 Assembly elections.
The observers are expected to submit a detailed report within a week, assessing the ground situation, internal factionalism, and the party's preparedness for the upcoming polls. This report could influence leadership decisions and strategy for the border state.
Punjab Congress has been plagued by persistent factionalism, with groups aligned to PPCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, and former CM Charanjit Singh Channi often pulling in different directions.
