Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 6: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday took a dig at the Congress after the party appointed Sachin Pilot as its new Punjab in-charge, replacing former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, saying the grand old party “knows how to play musical chairs very well”.
Baghel has been appointed All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Assam as part of an organisational reshuffle.
Speaking to reporters, BJP National Secretary Rohan Gupta said changing leaders, seats or locations would not help the Congress and that the party needed to change its policies and intentions.
“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,” Gupta said.
Referring to Congress-ruled states, Gupta alleged that the party stood for corruption and questioned its performance in Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh.
“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?” he said.
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said the reshuffle was an internal matter of the Congress but claimed it indicated that “everything is not well” within the party.
He said the Congress would continue to face electoral setbacks as long as it followed what he described as “one family politics”.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai compared the Congress’ organisational strategy to the British policy of “divide and rule”.
Speaking to reporters, Sai said the Congress created factionalism wherever it went. He also referred to opposition faced by Baghel in Punjab, where posters calling for him to “Go Back” had reportedly appeared.
“Perhaps this is the reason why his responsibility has been changed,” Sai said.
Punjab Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Harpal Singh Cheema also took a swipe at Pilot’s appointment.
“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,” Cheema said.
Congress leaders, however, welcomed the organisational reshuffle and expressed confidence in Pilot’s leadership.
Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said differences of opinion were common within political parties but often eased when a new leader assumed charge.
“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,” Aujla told IANS.
He expressed hope that Pilot’s experience would help strengthen the Congress organisation in Punjab.
Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai also backed Pilot, describing him as a ground-level leader who had remained connected with the people and understood their concerns.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari rejected reports of lobbying within the Punjab unit and said organisational changes were made in the party from time to time.
Describing Pilot as an “experienced general secretary and a young leader”, Tiwari said his proximity to Punjab through neighbouring Rajasthan would help him 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,” Tiwari said.