Sonia likely to ‘caste’ Sanjay Singh for lead in UP

Former Lok Sabha member Sanjay Singh is likely to be appointed as the Congress’ UP unit president soon. Sources say, general secretary Satyavrat Chaturvedi has met chief Sonia twice since yesterday for formulating a strategy to revamp the party organisation in UP. Chaturvedi, who recently toured Lucknow, faces the unsavoury task of toning up the party unit when nearly half of its district units are lying defunct.

Singh, once a key lieutenant of Sanjay Gandhi, returned to the Congress a year ago after having been in the Janata Dal and the BJP for 15 years. While in these parties, Singh had contested against both Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia in the Lok Sabha polls. He had even won from Amethi on a BJP ticket once, in 1998, defeating Congress’ Satish Sharma.

Sources say, the party settled on Singh, primarily due to his caste credentials. Though the present incumbent, Jagdambika Pal is also a Rajput, Singh, whose family once ruled Amethi, is expected to draw more votes. The Congress gameplan is to woo the upper-castes who are miffed with the BJP over the Raja Bhaiyya episode. The assignment of Chaturvedi, a Brahmin, is also a part of this plan.