Punjab Congress Dissent Erupts Over Aicc List Channi Camp Holds Show Of Strength

The Congress high command’s decision to retain the status quo in Punjab has triggered open dissent within the state unit, with a section of party leaders demanding a change in the state leadership and giving the party high command seven days to review its decision.

In a show of strength, around 50 Congress leaders, including four sitting MLAs, 18 former MLAs and former ministers, gathered at Jalandhar MP and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s residence in Chamkaur Sahib on Friday. The meeting, which lasted nearly four hours, ended with a unanimous demand that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) reconsider its recent organisational appointments, particularly the decision to retain Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president.

The dissent comes days after the AICC announced its new Punjab office-bearers, retaining Warring as the state unit chief and Partap Singh Bajwa as the leader of opposition.

Channi, who was being projected by a section of leaders as the frontrunner for the PPCC chief’s post, was instead appointed chairman of the party’s campaign committee.

Several leaders present at Friday’s meeting said the decision had disappointed party workers across the state, who had expected Channi to be given the responsibility of leading the organisation ahead of the 2027 Punjab assembly elections.

After the meeting, the leaders announced the formation of a committee to convey the sentiments of Punjab Congress workers to the party high command. They also authorised Channi to decide the group’s future course of action if their concerns remain unaddressed.

Former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur said the meeting reflected widespread dissatisfaction among party workers. “All is not well in the Punjab Congress. Workers want Channi to lead because he is the mass leader who can bring the Congress back to power. Under Raja Warring, the party cannot return to power,” he said.

Raja Warring didn’t immediately respond to HT’s calls and messages.

According to leaders who attended the closed-door meeting, several participants openly demanded that Warring be replaced as the PPCC chief and Channi be appointed to the post. They also urged the high command to review the organisational appointments within seven days.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, senior MLA Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa rejected suggestions of a rebellion but acknowledged resentment within the party.

“Everyone discussed how to bring the Congress back to power. We have requested Channi to seek time from the high command so that the sentiments of Punjab workers can be conveyed. We have no issue with the high command, but the recent decision should be reviewed in the interest of the party,” he said.

“There is no dissidence. It is only an appeal for course correction,” Bajwa added.

Former MLA Harminder Singh Gill said the party leadership should have consulted Punjab leaders before finalising key organisational appointments.

Channi, however, refrained from making any public statement after the meeting. Later, in a post on social media platform X, he said: “Congress leaders called on me at my residence and urged me to present the sentiments and aspirations of the people of Punjab before the high command.”

The meeting was attended by sitting MLAs Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rana Gurjeet Singh and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria; former ministers Bharat Bhushan Ashu and OP Soni; former legislators Mohammad Sadique, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Lakhvir Singh Lakha, Tarsem Singh Attari and Harminder Singh Gill, among others. Balkaur Singh, father of late singer Sidhu Moosewala, was also present.

Senior leaders Pargat Singh, Sukhpal Singh Khaira and former assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh stayed away from the meeting. A senior party leader said while some of them also had reservations over the recent appointments, they chose not to openly oppose the high command.

Randhawa was quick to dismiss the political undercurrents — terming it a routine meeting focused on the law-and-order situation and gangster activities in Punjab’s border districts — the timing has raised alarms within the state unit.

Vishal Rambani is an assistant editor covering Punjab. A journalist with over a decade of experience, he writes on politics, crime, power sector, environment and socio-economic issues. He has several investigative stories to his credit.Read More