AICC, Pal differ on his quitting UPCC

Apart from facing a four-cornered contest in Uttar Pradesh, the state Congress unit plunged into confusion with UPCC president Jagdambika Pal, who was all set to contest from Dumariya Ganj constituency, denying on Thursday that he had quit the party post.

His comment has left the AICC looking for a middle path. Significantly, since his ticket was finalised from Dumariya Ganj on April 6, the AICC had started the process for finding a replacement for Pal. Senior AICC leaders are now looking for a working president to take care of the party unit till Pal gets free from the elections. Considering that the post of working president cannot be held by someone senior to Pal, or those who have been UPCC presidents before, the AICC could zero in on junior, second-level leadership.

The AICC is also hoping that this could give a chance to bring in a Muslim or a woman or a leader from the Backward Classes ahead of the elections.