Kamal Nath incharge of Punjab, Haryana; Ghulam Nabi Azad of Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi, June 12: Ahead of the assembly elections in politically important Uttar Pradesh as well as Punjab next year, the Congress on Sunday put senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kamal Nath in charge of the party affairs in these two states respectively.

Kamal Nath, indicted by the Nanavati Commission on his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, also got charge of Haryana.

Reacting to the development, the Aam Aadmi Party said: "Giving charge of Punjab elections to Kamal Nath shows (Congress Vice-President) Rahul Gandhi's insensitivity towards the Sikhs. Proves the Congress is unfit to lead Punjab."

AAP is a contender for power in Punjab apart from the ruling BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal alliance and the Congress.

"It was Kamal Nath who instructed policemen to join the attackers and fired several rounds at the historic Rakabganj gurdwara," the AAP said.

The BJP also lashed out at the Congress party for appointing Kamal Nath as the in-charge for Punjab.

"Appointment of 1984 SikhGenocide accused Kamal Nath,as In-charge of Punjab,is like Rubbing Salt into the Wound.#Shame," BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya said in a tweet.

In Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India, apart from the ruling Samajwadi Party, the main opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress are in the race.

Earlier, Congress leaders Madhusudan Mistry and Shakeel Ahmad were made incharges of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab and Haryana.

IANS