Chandigarh, July 30
Belying the claims of AICC functionaries that there is no rift within the Punjab Congress and that the party is fully geared up to contest the upcoming Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections as a united force, the ground reality tells a very different story.
AICC’s Unity Exercise Ahead of High-Stakes Punjab Polls
Significantly, just a few days ago, AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, along with former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Punjab Congress Affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, had convened a meeting of the top Punjab Congress leadership, including Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former Chief Minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. The meeting was projected as a show of strength and unity, with the clear message that under the leadership of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the entire Punjab Congress stood united and would collectively fight the next Assembly elections to register a resounding victory.
Punjab Congress Back to Square One Despite High Command’s Intervention
However, barely days after the much‑publicised meeting, the situation seems to have reverted to square one. Media reports suggest that the tussle between the Channi and Warring camps is far from over. While Warring appears to be charting his own political course, the Channi camp is holding separate closed‑door meetings with its supporters.
Warring Unwilling to Carry Everyone Along
“When Warring himself is not interested in taking us along, then what should we do? With elections barely six months away, we cannot simply sit at home. We too are decades-old loyal soldiers of the party and deserve respect. Unfortunately, the head of the party seems to have developed an inflated ego and is unwilling to reach out to fellow Congress leaders,” a senior Punjab Congress leader told The News Gateway.
Unity Claims Ring Hollow After Randhawa’s Outburst
It is pertinent to mention that just a couple of days ago, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, in an interview, remarked that “Warring has a habit of taking fake oaths and humiliating senior leaders on stage,” making it abundantly clear that despite repeated claims of unity, all is not well in the Grand Old Party.
Controversies Continue to Haunt Warring’s Leadership
Significantly, Warring’s tenure as Punjab Congress president has been marked more by turbulence than organisational revival. Immediately after his reappointment as PPCC chief, factionalism deepened, with a sizeable section of party leaders gradually rallying behind Channi—exposing widening fault lines within the organisation rather than narrowing them. Substantiating these allegations, several Congress leaders have pointed out numerous instances wherein Warring had allegedly made “controversial statements” that adversely affected the party’s political positioning and public perception.
Congress Leaders Cite Instances of Warring Deviating From Party Position
Not only controversial statements, but there had also been instances wherein Warring had apparently drifted away from the party stand. One such glaring example was Warring’s refusal to CBI probe into the alleged suicide of the District Manager of the Punjab Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, Gagandeep Singh Randhawa. “Warring defended his stand by arguing that the CBI had lost its credibility under the BJP government, even though the victim’s family was strongly demanding a CBI investigation. We should have respected the sentiments of the aggrieved family,” said a Congress leader, requesting anonymity.
Leadership Marred by Controversy, Not Consolidation
According to a majority of Congress leaders in Punjab, Warring’s leadership has generated more headlines than tangible organisational gains. At a time when the Congress is struggling to reclaim its lost political space in Punjab, the repeated controversies surrounding its state president have only reinforced the perception of a party drifting without cohesion or collective direction.
Congress Faces Uphill Battle Unless Leaders Unite
Political observers believe that unless Warring makes a sincere effort to carry every section of the party leadership along, the Congress will find it extremely difficult to emerge as a formidable challenger in next year’s Assembly elections, which are already being billed as one of Punjab’s most fiercely contested electoral battles, with the state expected to witness a five-cornered contest.