Time to end all delays in naming Pachouri''s successor: Aslam

Bhopal, Jan 14 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Aslam SherKhan today expressed concern over the delay in naming asuccessor to State Congress President, Suresh Pachouri andsaid that its time that a decision be taken on the issue toarrest the party''s down slide in Madhya Pradesh.

"I think that the time has come to end all delays innaming a successor for Pachouri," Aslam told PTI.

He said under Pachouri''s president ship, the party hadcontested and lost the 2008 assembly polls in MP. Followingthis, a resolution had been passed last year by all AICCdelegates from the state authorising the Congress PresidentSonia Gandhi to name a new President for the State Congress.

However, things have delayed and the issue has been puton a back burner as Congress is busy tackling a number ofother issues at the Centre.

"The party has been going downhill in Madhya Pradesh eversince Pachouri took up the reins and the time has come toarrest the slide," Aslam said.

He said a successor to Pachouri can be named by makingthe three senior Congress leaders from the state--GeneralSecretary Digvijay Singh, Union ministers Kamalnath andJyotiraditya Scindia--sit together and decide on the issue.

Aslam said Madhya Pradesh Congress has a number ofchallenges ahead, the biggest being the next assemblyelections scheduled to be held in November 2013, especiallyafter its defeat in the civic polls recently.

"Congress lost in the civic elections to the BJP and thishas boosted the morale of the ruling party," he said. (MORE)PTI AS DK DK

Also, bye-elections to three assembly constituencies in MP are slated to be held next month and it was important forthe Congress to win it as they were being held inconstituencies where Congress was victorious in November 2008,he said.

"And, if by chance the party fails to win in these threeplaces, it will be a big setback," the Congress leader added.