CHANDIGARH, June 11: Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, who was elected as the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), faces the formidable task of rejuvenating the fractured and demoralised party in the State.

Bhattal has taken over the reigns of the Congress at a time when it is in a total mess, especially after its drubbing in the last Vidhan Sabha election where it managed only 14 seats. And her detractors have already started taking a swipe at her.

Said a supporter of ousted PPCC president Santokh Singh Randhawa: ``She has betrayed the understanding that was reached with Randhawa to authorise Sitaram Kesri to appoint the state party chief.''

Bhattal had managed to oust the then Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar with the support of AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad and All India Congress Committee joint secretary Ambika Soni.

But even as Chief Minister, Bhattal had little to show by way of administrative or political experience.

A section within the party has been questioning the bona fide of some people around her. Her new assignment is to be seen in the context of her past record as Chief Minister.

At the political level, she has to face the Akalis who trounced the Congress with the help of an alliance with the BJP. Her only agenda so far has been to fight the communal forces and the matter ends there. This time, however, she will have to think of new strategies and tactics.

Though a major section of the party hopes that she will be able to rejuvenate the party, there are some others who do not subscribe to this view. ``Only time will tell,'' said her predecessor Randhawa.

Yet another section in the Congress feels that this is not the right time for her to take up the challenge. Azad, her main support, is already shifting his loyalties.

But Bhattal's immediate task is to keep the various sections together. ``My immediate priority is to maintain unity in the party,'' she said here yesterday.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.