With every passing day, Punjab’s political theatre ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections is turning into a gripping spectacle. And the undeniable fact is that it’s the Congress that continues to dominate the headlines. Amid the ongoing infighting, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Punjab Congress Affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel has reiterated that there will be no changes in the state unit. However, he also talked about the expansion of election committees — a move clearly aimed at pacifying dissenters by accommodating supporters of the former CM and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi camp.
Speaking to select mediapersons, Baghel disclosed that a proposal has been submitted to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi regarding the proposed Bus Yatra as part of the high-octane poll campaign. “As soon as we get approval from Rahul Gandhi, we will get to work immediately,” Baghel added.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi’s Punjab visit — the tour details of which are yet to be unveiled — is likely to settle the dust over the leadership issue in the state unit of the Congress. Party sources told The News Gateway, “As per the tentative plan, Rahul Gandhi would begin the Punjab visit from Amritsar, where he would pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. Subsequently, he may undertake a bus yatra with senior Punjab Congress leaders. The first proposed leg is reported to be approximately 135 km, from Amritsar to Hussainiwala, passing through roughly 25–30 Assembly constituencies. The purpose is not merely an election tour but also to bring senior Punjab leaders together on a common platform and project organisational unity ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.”
Meanwhile, returning to the core issue of factionalism, Baghel may deny the existence of internal bickering in Congress but the reality is that the party is currently split into two power centres — one led by former CM Charanjit Singh Channi and the other by PPCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
Reliable sources reveal that the Channi group remains adamant on replacing Warring and speculations are rife that if the leadership refuses, some senior Punjab Congress leaders may even quit the party. Whispers in political circles even suggest that a few Congress heavyweights are already in touch with the BJP.
Though the party top brass may insist that ‘all is well,’ the reality is that the undercurrent of bad blood just months before the polls has undeniably weakened Congress’s position. What was once seen as a comeback wave has now dissipated into uncertainty. Public sentiment has shifted — many believe it’s anybody’s game, while others foresee a hung assembly.
If that scenario materialises, it would mark the second consecutive election in which Congress falters — not because of external challenges but because of its own internal bickering. This unfolding drama keeps Punjab politics on edge: will the Congress manage to stitch unity in time or will factionalism once again rob it of the driver’s seat in 2027?
(Views expressed are personal.)