Ahead of the high stakes electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is planning a reshuffle. The party is likely to appoint former union minister Jitin Prasada as the new chief of the Uttar Pradesh Congress. Prasada will replace Dr Nirmal Khatri for the top post.
Other party leaders like Kumari Selja and Ajay Maken are also likely to be given more responsibility.
Uttar Pradesh is going to polls in 2017 and the move is being done with the aim to woo Muslim and Brahmin voters in the state. Prasada is known to be a good organisational leader and is close to party vice president Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress reshuffle is seeking to maintain a balance between the old and new faces.
The party is also likely to appoint a new leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha as Ghulam Nabi Azad has been appointed the UP in-charge of the Congress.
Refusing to elaborate, UP Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi said changes are needed. "As far as the situation is right now, there is a thought process going on but who is coming and who is being considered is all speculative," she said.
After the drubbing in the four state Assembly elections earlier in 2016, several Congress leaders have called for a a major surgery in the party. Sources say the much awaited change of guard in the Congress may happen soon with president Sonia Gandhi making way for her son.
Sources say Rahul is likely to be supported by a new team consisting of Congress leaders Sachin Pilot, RPN Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, Ajay Maken and Randeep Surjewala amongst others.
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