Punjab Congress fault lines deepen as more senior leaders rally behind Channi

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Chandigarh: The factional divide within the Punjab Congress appears to be widening, with former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s camp receiving fresh backing from several senior leaders on Monday, days after his supporters openly questioned the continuation of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the Punjab Congress president.

A photograph from Monday’s meeting showed former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, senior leader Pargat Singh, Gurdaspur MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra, former minister Razia Sultana and Barnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhillon with Channi and his supporters. Their presence is being viewed as a significant political message, suggesting that the group seeking changes in the state leadership is expanding.

The development comes shortly after the Congress high command retained Raja Warring as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president and Partap Singh Bajwa as Leader of the Opposition while appointing Channi as chairman of the party’s campaign committee for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. The move was intended to strike a balance between various factions within the state unit.

However, instead of settling the issue, the appointments triggered fresh unrest. Channi’s supporters publicly demanded a change in the state leadership, arguing that the party requires a new face to revive its prospects in Punjab after successive electoral setbacks. Channi has since emerged as the rallying point for leaders unhappy with the current organisational structure.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress sought to project an image of unity, describing Monday’s meeting as part of its preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections. In a statement, the party said Campaign Committee Chairman Charanjit Singh Channi and Core Committee Chairman Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa held an important meeting with their team and senior party leaders. The discussions focused on election strategy, strengthening the party organisation and planning upcoming programmes. The party ended the message with the slogan, “Unity is Strength” and the hashtag #Mission2027.

Monday’s show of unity assumes significance as it follows the Congress high command’s attempt to project organisational stability ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. However, the growing attendance of senior leaders at Channi’s meetings is likely to fuel speculation that internal power equations within the Punjab Congress continue to evolve despite the party’s public message of unity.