The turmoil within the Punjab Congress appears to be calming down for now. On Thursday, former Chief Minister and Campaign Committee Chairman Charanjit Singh Channi met with the party leadership in Delhi. After the meeting, Channi stated that he remains committed to the party and will adhere to the party line. Amid the ongoing turmoil within the Punjab Congress, Channi’s meeting with the high command and his statement indicate that Channi is not planning to rebel for the time being. However, the political tussle between state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and MP Charanjit Singh Channi is likely to continue.
While the Congress party may have calmed the situation for now, the tussle will continue until the elections. The high command is yet to make a final decision on the Channi and Warring matters. However, it is believed that the high command is in no mood to reconsider its decision. This means that Raja Warring will remain the president.
There will be a Mahabharata over the ticket
The Congress party is vying for the CM position. Among the most discussed names is Charanjit Singh Channi, who was appointed CM after replacing Captain Amarinder Singh. The party even declared him the CM face for the 2022 Assembly elections. However, he lost both his own seats, and Congress was reduced to just 18 seats. Raja Warring, who took over the party’s leadership in 2022, is also in the race. Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Pratap Singh Bajwa, is also in the race, along with MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
A major question facing the Congress is which of these leaders should the party give tickets to in the 2027 Assembly elections. Raja Warring, Sukhjinder Randhawa, and Channi are currently Lok Sabha members, and all three are in the CM race. Accommodating these three leaders will be a major challenge for the party. Raja Warring and Randhawa left their MLA positions to contest the Lok Sabha elections. In such a situation, these two leaders will again seek tickets in the assembly elections.
Will the Kerala model be implemented?
The Congress Party had clearly told its MPs before the Kerala assembly elections that it would not give any MP a ticket. The Congress Party’s organization general secretary himself was among the contenders, but the party did not give him a ticket either. Political experts say that the Congress may try to take a similar decision in Punjab, but it will not be easy for the party. Convincing three leaders in the CM race to contest the elections could be quite difficult.
Punjab Congress sources say that these three leaders and another MP want to contest the assembly elections. Raja Warding held a seat like Gidderbaha (Raja Warding’s seat), but his wife later lost in the by-election. The party may once again trust Amarinder Singh Raja Warding for this seat. Sukhjinder Randhawa also wants to contest his own seat, and the party may have to deliberate on a candidate for this seat.
Ticket Dispute for One’s Own Faction
The Congress party’s infighting isn’t limited to the leaders’ own tickets. Rather, leaders will strive to secure tickets for as many MLAs as possible from their own factions so that if they become CM after the elections, they can secure the necessary support. Several former MLAs and constituency in-charges (who have contested assembly elections) attended Channi’s meeting. All of them are hopeful for tickets, but Raja Warring will try to have their tickets cancelled.
The constituency in-charge is not an organizational position in the Congress party, while Raja Warring has the support of the district presidents. Consequently, Raja will demand a ticket for them. This infighting could create difficulties for the Congress. The future of the Punjab Congress hinges on how the Congress manages its MPs in the elections and whether it distributes tickets among the factions of leaders or whether the high command decides the tickets itself. At present, the party is planning to try to show unity for some time.