In an attempt to set the party house in order and curb the dissidence, the Congress high command, after Sonia Gandhi took over as the president, set up a 15-member poll panel headed by Pradesh Congress Committee chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal for these elections. Almost all the senior leaders opposing Bhattal are members of this committee which would be all-powerful to lead the party in these elections to be held in June next.

The Congress leaders were anticipating change in the schedule of the panchayat poll in view of the announcement of bye-elections to the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha on June 3 next.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal set at rest the speculations about the change in the schedule last week saying these elections would be held by June 30 and there was no question of postponement. The elections to the panchayat bodies are being held on the directive of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. These elections were earlier postponed in view of the Lok Sabha elections in February last.

Sources in the Congress said the members of the panel for panchayat poll are likely to be allotted districts by the PPCC chief. They would be made accountable for the party performance. The members of the committee include Gurbrinder Kaur Brar, wife of former chief minister Harcharan Singh Brar, Jagmeet Singh Brar, former MP and former PPCC chief Santokh Singh Randhawa, all of whom have been lobbying with the party high command for changing the leadership in the state.

The dissidents had been demanding resignation of Bhattal for the rout of the party in the Lok Sabha elections.