Admitting dissidence in Congress party in Himachal Pradesh, former Rajya Sabha MP and Himachal in-charge Rajni Patil said she was on the job to placate the rift and keep the flock together ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

Honest about the dissidence within the state Congress party, Patil is seemingly trying hard to tame the dissidence within the party and to iron out differences ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing media persons here on Tuesday, Rajni Patil, who was here in Shimla on her first visit after assuming the charge, said, “It was time that all the party workers work together. About 90 per cent of the party workers are together and I will reach out to dis-satisfied leaders to sort out the differences.”

Replying to the question of factionalism within the Congress party prior to the state assembly elections that led to defeat of the party, she said, “We are exploring to come out with a formula to quell the same.”

She disclosed that she had personally met the former Congress chief minister Virbhadra Singh in the morning today at his residence in accordance to her plans ahead of coming to Shimla, to personally meet the senior leaders of the party.

“He has assured his full support to the party. Although, he has some feelings which we will sort it out and I will convey his thoughts to the All India Congress Party (AICC) President Rahul Gandhi,” she said.

“I also met the senior Congress leader Vidya Stokes at her residence,” she added.

Evading question of reshuffling within the party, Patil said that the right to take decision rests with the AICC chief.

“The party has set its eyes on the four Lok Sabha seats and we will have to work hard to win the seats, “she said, adding that besides, mobilizing the party workers, rallies with be organised across the state to reach out to the masses.

The rallies will witness participation of the senior national leaders, she added.
Rajni Patil said, “Himachal had traditionally, once been a Congress bastion, however the trend of late has changed. We will pump in efforts to re-establish the position of the party for which a strategy will be chalked out.”

Disclosing about her individual plans for the Lok Sabha elections, she said that during the first phase for around two months, she intends to visit all the 68 assembly constituencies, along with the senior party leaders and also the local leaders.