Congress on Friday appointed Harish Chaudhary as in-charge of party affairs in Punjab, relieving Harish Rawat.
"Congress President has appointed Shri Harish Chaudhary as AICC In-Charge of Punjab and Chandigarh with immediate effect. Harish Rawat is being relieved from his current responsibility as AICC General Secretary In-Charge of Punjab and Chandigarh. He shall continue as a member of CWC. The party appreciates his contributions as General Secretary," said AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal in a statement.
"The party appreciates his contribution as general secretary," the statement further said.
The decision comes after Rawat had urged the party high-command to relieve him as general secretary in-charge for Punjab affairs in view of the upcoming assembly elections in Uttarakhand.
Rawat played a key role in bringing in Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Punjab Congress chief despite strong opposition from then chief minister Amarinder Singh.
He later played a key role in replacing Amarinder Singh with Charanjit Singh Channi as chief minister of Punjab after Amarinder Singh resigned alleging humiliation at the hands of the party.
The assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Punjab early next year. Ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttarakhand scheduled to be held next year, Congress leader Harish Rawat has urged his party leadership to relieve him from Punjab Congress in-charge duty.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Rawat said, "In Uttarakhand, we are progressing towards a definite win. During the election, it is impossible for me to handle two states, Punjab and Uttarakhand. So I have urged our leadership to relieve me from Punjab Congress in-charge duty."
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
