Punjab Congress chief Amarinder meets Rahul Gandhi, discusses party affairs in state

New Delhi: After a change of leadership in Punjab, the state unit of Congress is likely to see some restructuring in the team led by Amarinder Singh. The Punjab Congress chief, who is also deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, on Monday met party Vice President Rahul Gandhi and discussed the restructuring of the Punjab state unit with him.

"I have met the Congress vice president and discussed with him the party affairs in Punjab," Amarinder said, when asked about the party restructuring in the state. He, however, indicated that there would not be many changes and the PPCC will be of almost the same size as that headed by his predecessor Pratap Singh Bajwa.

Amarinder said he has sought some additions in the Punjab Congress office bearers to help involve all leaders from different regions and different communities. Sources said Amarinder has reportedly handed over his list of leaders whom he wants inducted into the restructured unit, but is unlikely to make drastic changes as he wants to carry everyone along ahead of elections.

He also wants to accommodate as many people in the new Committee as possible so as to involve everyone during elections. He is seeking to have as many youngsters as possible in his new team. The restructuring is being brought ahead of the assembly elections in the state slated early next year. Congress has already lost the elections twice in a row to the ruling

Akali-BJP combine and is not leaving anything to chance. Congress is also seeking to strengthen its Punjab unit in the wake of AAP's gaining strength in the state as it poses a tough challenger this time around after it won four Lok Sabha seats in 2014.

Meanwhile, top Congress leaders from the state and the Centre will attend the 'bhog' ceremony of one of the soldiers killed in the Pathankot attack and will visit the family of the other. AICC general secretaries Ambika Soni and Shakeel Ahmad, besides AICC Secretary Harish Choudhary, besides Amarinder and the entire Punjab Congress leadership will also participate in the January 14 Maghi Mela at Muktsar, where Congress is organising a political conference to woo the masses in Malwa region.