New Delhi, July 1
Finally putting an end to months of speculation and denials, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has retained the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa respectively. As per the communiqué issued by the All AICC, former Punjab CM and currently Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi, who was also a frontrunner for the post of PPCC president, has been made the chairperson of the Campaign Committee for the Punjab Assembly elections slated for early 2027. Dr. Amar Singh has been given the responsibility of the Manifesto Committee. Former Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa has been inducted as the Core Committee Chairperson.
The decision, taken directly by Rahul Gandhi after a series of hectic consultations with senior Punjab Congress leaders, Congress General Secretary in-charge for Punjab Bhupesh Baghel and AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, marks a significant organisational shift ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.
Notably, in the aftermath of the Congress debacle in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, the AICC had entrusted Gidderbaha MLA and former Minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring with the responsibility of State Congress chief on April 22, 2022. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the high command directed him to contest from Ludhiana, where he complied with the party’s diktat and went on to defeat three‑time MP Ravneet Singh Bittu. Yet, after a tenure spanning over four years, mounting discontent among Punjab Congress leaders against Warring was putting the party’s top brass under pressure to replace him.
It may be mentioned here that for the past several months, talk of a leadership change in the Punjab Congress had been rife. However, putting to rest all speculations, the AICC issued a formal communiqué, finally restructuring the PPCC.
