NEW DELHI, 7 November 2004 — All India Congress Committee general secretary and heavyweight congressman Salman Khurshid has been appointed the new party unit chief of Uttar Pradesh in place of Jagdambika Pal.
Salman, a known detractor of Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, had held the post a few years back also.
He was made AICC general secretary by party President Sonia Gandhi during the last reshuffle of the AICC secretariat effected after the Lok Sabha poll.
Other names doing the rounds were senior leaders Begum Noor Bano, Harikesh Bahadur and Rita Bahuguna Joshi. Noor Bano and Harikesh Bahadur are special invitees to the Congress Working Committee. Bahuguna Joshi is chief of All India Mahila Congress and daughter of late H N Bahuguna. But Salman emerged on the top.
Sonia had yesterday said that Jagdambika Pal may be replaced in a couple of days in the wake of the party’s “dismal” showing in the recent assembly by-elections.
Replying to questions at the Hindustan Times Leadership Initiative Conference, Sonia said that she was planning to do something soon to revive the party in UP.
Earlier on Friday, the Congress president had appointed Ram Babu Sharma, MLA, as the new president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee.
AICC general secretary in-charge of Delhi, Ashok Gehlot said in a statement that the appointment was made by party chief Sonia Gandhi with immediate effect.
The post of DPCC chief was vacant following the resignation of Chaudhary Prem Singh who was elected speaker of the state assembly, in place of Ajay Maken who was elected to the Lok Sabha.
