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Chandigarh: The Congress high command’s efforts to restore unity in Punjab suffered another setback on Monday after posters reading “Baghel Wapas Jao” (Baghel Go Back) surfaced across Sri Muktsar Sahib ahead of a crucial organisational meeting chaired by AICC Punjab affairs in charge Bhupesh Baghel.
The meeting, attended by senior state leaders, comes amid an escalating power struggle between Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, with repeated public displays of factionalism exposing deep divisions within the party.
The latest protest follows chaotic scenes witnessed during Baghel’s recent organisational meetings in Sangrur and Barnala, where supporters of Channi repeatedly raised “Channi Zindabad” slogans while Raja Warring was addressing party workers from the stage. The slogan shouting disrupted the meetings and highlighted the growing divide between the rival camps. Following those incidents, Baghel warned that indiscipline would not be tolerated and said strict action, including expulsion from the party, could be taken against those disrupting official programmes.
The anti Baghel posters in Muktsar have further fuelled speculation that resentment within a section of the state unit continues despite repeated appeals by the Congress leadership for unity ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
In another significant development, media has been barred from entering Monday’s meeting venue, indicating that the leadership wants internal discussions to take place away from public scrutiny.
Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring are scheduled to jointly address the media on Tuesday morning after the conclusion of the organisational meetings.
The latest developments come against the backdrop of persistent demands from leaders aligned with Charanjit Singh Channi and other senior Congress figures for a change in the state leadership. However, Baghel has consistently maintained that there is no proposal to replace Raja Warring as Punjab Congress president and has urged party leaders to work unitedly to strengthen the organisation before the Assembly elections.