Gehlot rewarded for coups in Karnataka, Gujarat; Joshi pushed out for Bihar failure
In a major shake-up, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday replaced party's general secretaries Digvijay Singh and CP Joshi with former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy and Tarun Gogoi respectively. While Chandy was appointed as the party affairs in-charge in Andhra Pradesh, Gogoi, a known Gandhi loyalist, replaced Joshi as in-charge in West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Singh had recently returned to New Delhi after traversing 3000 kms for the Narmada Yatra; he will now look after the coordination committee in Madhya Pradesh till the Assembly elections in the state are done and dusted.
Meanwhile, Joshi's fall is in sharp contrast to the rise of fortunes of his bête noire Ashok Gehlot, who was appointed a general secretary of the organisation. He was also rewarded for the party performance in Karnataka, where he was instrumental in acting quickly and forging an alliance with the JD(S), thus managing to wrest control of the state from the BJP. Previously, his performance in the Gujarat elections had led to his appointment as organisation general secretary, replacing Janardan Dwivedi, a trusted lieutenant of UPA chief Sonia Gandhi.
Joshi was earlier divested charge of Bihar. According to party sources, Joshi has not performed as expected and is being blamed for the debacle in the elections held in the Northeastern states and also for promoting factionalism that surfaced in Bihar. It was also learnt that Ashok Chudhary, former state party president in Bihar, left the Congress over differences with Joshi. He was later asked to step down from his role in West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
"Congress president Rahul Gandhi has appointed Gaurav Gogoi as AICC in-charge for West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar with immediate effect. The party appreciates the hard work and contribution of CP Joshi, who will be stepping down from his responsibility as AICC general secretary in-charge for West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar," said a statement signed by Gehlot.
Additionally, the party inner circle is abuzz with talks that Rahul Gandhi is working to make the party's organisation 'young' by pushing for youthful faces. As Joshi is old guard, he is being relieved. Gehlot, however, is an exception, as he not only performed well, but turned tides and fortunes in Gujarat and Karnataka and partially, Punjab.
FRESH FACES
- Oommen Chandy was appointed as the party affairs in-charge in Andhra Pradesh
- Gogoi replaced Joshi as in-charge in WB, Andaman and Nicobar
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "(From L to R) Digvijay Singh, CP Joshi, Ashok Gehlot, Gaurav Gogoi")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}