Punjab Congress rift deepens: Rebels join forces to oust Warring ahead of Baghel’s visit

The battle for the Punjab Congress leadership escalated as senior leaders opposed to Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring joined forces ahead of AICC state affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel’s visit on Monday. Party sources said the disgruntled faction met in Mohali in the morning and decided to boycott all programmes led by Warring and put pressure on the party high command for an immediate leadership change.

Baghel was scheduled to land in Chandigarh around 3.30pm to chair a meeting of Congress leaders. However, ahead of his arrival, a faction led by former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi staged a show of strength to intensify its campaign against Warring’s continuation as state party president. Former deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who was recently appointed chairman of the party’s core committee, was also present.

According to the sources, senior leaders present resolved to boycott Warring’s programmes and present a united front to the party high command. Soon after the meeting, several leaders shared photographs of the gathering on social media.

Warring’s damage control

While the dissenting leaders publicly described the meeting as a strategic discussion among election committee heads to strengthen the organisation ahead of the assembly polls, the sources confirmed the discussion centred on removing Warring, who they claim is unfit to lead the party.

In a damage-control exercise, Warring also shared photos of the meeting on his social media handles, labelling it a discussion on the Congress election strategy and asserting that it was “not a meeting of any camp.” He described the exercise as part of the party’s ‘Mission 2027’ in an apparent bid to project unity. However, Warring’s absence from the group photograph fuelled further speculation over the deepening divide within the state unit.

“This is the second public show of dissent against Warring in three days,” a senior party leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The first took place at Channi’s residence in Morinda on Friday.”

Key leaders join hands

Besides Channi and Randhawa, former ministers Rana Gurjeet Singh, Pargat Singh, Razia Sultana, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and Gurpreet Singh Kangar attended the Kharar meeting along with MLAs Kuldeep Singh Dhillon and former legislator Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon.

Leader of the opposition Partap Singh Bajwa was absent from the meeting. However, sources said he has been actively involved in discussions over the past two days with Channi, Randhawa, and Pargat Singh to forge a common strategy against the PPCC chief.

Ultimatum to high command

According to the sources, the anti-Warring camp has drafted a formal note for the Congress high command, arguing that Warring’s public statements have damaged the party at the grassroots. “The message to the high command is clear: The ground reality in Punjab must be acknowledged, and the Congress cannot win the 2027 assembly elections under Warring’s leadership,” a senior leader privy to the development said.

The rebel faction has also decided to boycott Baghel’s upcoming meeting with senior party functionaries in Chandigarh, the sources said. Conversely, leaders backing Warring are expected to turn out in full force to meet the AICC in-charge.

Meanwhile, Warring has initiated his own outreach to consolidate support. A senior Congress leader said both the Warring and Channi camps are working to keep their respective supporters together as the leadership issue heads for another round of discussions before the party high command.