india

Updated: Apr 15, 2015 23:30 IST

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who was expected to return from his 52-day sabbatical late on Wednesday night, may soon carry out the much-awaited organisational reshuffle in the party. When he does this, he will strive to strike a fine balance between seniors and young leaders, a senior party functionary said.

The battle between the old guard and GenNext is taking its toll on the party’s revival plans and Rahul is expected to settle the matter by taking everybody along.

Congress sources said Rahul will lead from the front and galvanise an otherwise demoralised Congress cadre to strengthen the organisation once again.

Gandhi’s leave coincided with the beginning of the first half of the budget session on February 23. At the time, the Congress said that he wanted a few weeks to “reflect on recent events and the future course” of the party.

Many Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chiefs are to be changed. Punjab heads the list in view of irreconcilable differences between PCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa and former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh which could cost the party heavily in the 2017 Assembly elections.

Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are other states where he might bring in new faces.

Reviving the party in states such as Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, where it has been relegated to the margins will be a challenge. Gandhi will also have to take a final call on the proposed alliance with the Janata Parivar for the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar.

Gandhi is also expected to draw up strategies for the remaining part of the ongoing budget session of Parliament which commences on April 20 in the coming few days.