New Delhi, December 5
In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress high command has approved a please-all, jumbo committee for its Punjab unit, accommodating the wishes and concerns of all senior party leaders from the state. Once announced, this Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) will be the largest ever.

The soon-to-be-announced PPCC will have over 260 members, with around 158 in the executive committee alone, party top sources told The Tribune. It will have 12 vice-presidents (as against six in the Amarinder Singh-led PCC), including the four current zonal vice-presidents, who have been retained.

Malerkotla ex-MLA Razia Sultana has been included as a vice-president in the list approved by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Hans Raj Joshan, a former minister who fought against Sukhbir Singh Badal in the Assembly elections, is also learnt to have been included as general secretary. So has Mahila Congress member Mamata.

The new committee will have close to 25 general secretaries (as against 10 in the earlier committee) and around 53 secretaries, who, Congress sources say, owe their allegiance to different leaders in the state unit where unity has remained a challenge.

The list will also have close to 22 permanent invitees, including all top state leaders from former Punjab chief ministers Capt Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar, all former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee presidents and former ministers.

Many district presidents have also been changed in the overhaul, inspired mostly by the "need to project a united face", sources said.

However, attempts to change Ludhiana District Congress president Pawan Dewan have been thwarted though many new district presidents are set to be announced, it is learnt.

"This is going to be a huge committee. We have accommodated the suggestions of all top leaders, including PCC chief Partap Bajwa, Capt Amarinder Singh, CLP leader Sunil Jakhar and Rajinder Bhattal. We hope, once this list is released, the Punjab Congress will stand united and work for the growth of the party in the state," a senior Congress leader said.

The list is expected to be announced tomorrow or day after. It is being formed nine months after Partap Singh Bajwa was appointed state Congress chief.