CHANDIGARH: Raj Kumar Verka is likely to replace Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar in the state unit with the ruling party going all out to placate Dalits ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Verka, the Dalit MLA from Amritsar (West), previously served as vice-chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Punjab has the highest percentage of Scheduled Caste (SC) population among the states, according to the 2011 Census. In addition with Backward Classes (BC), they constitute more than 50 per cent of the population in the northern state.
Jakhar, a Hindu face and staunch supporter of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, was made the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) head in May last year, to balance community equations in the state. Sources in the party claim Jakhar may be replaced before the Lok Sabha elections.
Punjab has three Dalit ministers and none from the backward class in the 18-member Cabinet. This is despite 22 SC and 11 BC legislators constituting 42 per cent of the Congress’ near two-thirds majority of 77 seats in the 117-member Assembly.
It is no secret that the Dalit leaders are upset over their poor representation in the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government. In April, Congress MLAs Sangat Singh Khiljian, Surjit Singh Dhiman and Nathu Ram had resigned from all party posts. While Khiljian and Dhiman were PPCC vice-presidents, Nathu Ram was general secretary. Those in the Ministry nurse high ambitions. Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi wants the Deputy Chief Minister’s post.
Verka’s name is almost finalised by the high command and, thus, no other names are doing the rounds, the sources assert.
Another theory afloat in the political circles is Jakhar, who is also MP from Gurdaspur, may be fielded again the next year. In such a scenario, he will be unable to devote time to work as the Congress state head. Jakhar’s list of probable Congress office-bearers and district presidents is on hold, which, the party insiders say, is a signal of his impending replacement.
When contacted about the possible change, Jakhar was non-committal. “I have nothing to say on this topic. It is prerogative of the party high command.”