NEW DELHI: Infighting within the Punjab Congress intensified after representatives of the faction backing former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi over Amrinder Singh Raja Warring departed for Delhi on Monday to seek a meeting with the party high command, news agency ANI reported, citing sources.Sources told ANI that the faction headed to Delhi even as AICC in-charge of the state Bhupesh Baghel is scheduled to be in the state.This comes hours after Congress leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa shared a photograph on social media that appeared to be a show of strength Channi’s faction.Among those present were manifesto committee co-chairman and MLA Pargat Singh, election committee co-chairpersons Razia Sultana and Bharat Bhushan Ashu, along with several other senior party leaders.”Unity is strength,” Randhawa captioned the post.Notably absent from the gathering were Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira.However, the Punjab Congress, in a social media post, clarified that the meeting was part of preparations for the 2027 assembly elections.”In view of the preparations for the 2027 assembly elections, Punjab Congress campaign committee chairman Charanjit Singh Channi and core committee chairman Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa held an important meeting with their team and senior party leaders. During this meeting, detailed discussions were held regarding election strategy, further strengthening the organisation, and upcoming programmes,” the party said.‘Please do not exaggerate the Morinda meeting’Reacting to the photo shared by Randhawa, Warring refuted speculation about the rift within Congress and said that “the meeting was not against anyone.””Channi saab (referring to Charanjit Singh Channi) has only shared his photograph and stated that the meeting held in Morinda was continued. That meeting was not against anyone. As I have already explained, the Morinda meeting was held at the residence of our senior leader, respected Charanjit Singh Channi, who has been appointed chairman of the campaign committee,” Warring said.”Many leaders went there to welcome and meet him. Those who did not attend may do so in the coming days. Please do not exaggerate the Morinda meeting. It was held to strengthen the Congress party, and today’s meeting is also for the same purpose. Within the next couple of days, you will see all Congress leaders together on one platform,” he added.The development comes days after Warring dismissed speculation about a rebellion within the party. He maintained that the Congress remained united and said he was not in the race for the chief minister’s post.He also asserted that the entire state Congress leadership would soon be seen together on one platform.”The Congress is united. Our rivals can dream on, but nothing is going to happen. Channi, Warring and all others will be seen together, fighting the battle for Punjab,” he said.”Channi is a respected senior leader, our brother and the campaign committee chairman. The colour of rebellion was given by rival political parties, which portrayed it as a challenge to the Congress high command,” he added.Asked about the party’s chief ministerial face for the 2027 elections, Warring said the decision rested entirely with the Congress high command.”I am in only one race and that is to bring the Congress to power (in Punjab),” he said.Last week, the Congress high command announced a major organisational reshuffle in Punjab, retaining Warring as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president while appointing Channi as chairman of the Campaign Committee, a move widely seen as an attempt to balance competing factions within the state unit.According to a statement issued by AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge approved the appointments with immediate effect. Under the new structure, Channi will head the campaign committee, Vijay Inder Singla will chair the election management and coordination committee, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa will lead the core committee, and Amar Singh will head the manifesto committee.Later, Channi called a crucial meeting at his residence in Morinda, where several leaders, including stalwarts such as Bharat Bhushan Ashu, were in attendance and voiced support for his leadership. The leaders urged the party high command to reconsider the recently announced organisational appointments in Punjab, asserting that the Congress would return to power under Channi’s leadership.The Congress also confirmed that Warring will continue as the Punjab Congress president, while Partap Singh Bajwa will remain the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the state.Referring to the gathering at Channi’s residence, Warring rejected suggestions of a revolt and said, “There is no rebellion. They had gone to the residence of our former chief minister and the chairperson of our campaign committee. Some people went to meet him, some went to congratulate him and no one has stopped anyone from going or coming. So how is this a rebellion? It would have been a rebellion had Channi or Warring said something.” Go to Source
