Punjab Congress Shake Up 66 Leaders Summoned Delhi Ajay Maken Charanjit Singh Channi Warring

With factionalism in its Punjab unit threatening to derail the party’s Assembly election preparation, the Congress high command on Tuesday began a massive exercise to set its divided house in order. The party has summoned as many as 66 leaders from Punjab to Delhi to gauge whether the state unit needs to be restructured before the polls early next year.

The exercise comes amid talk of the Assembly elections in Punjab being advanced. The BJP leadership has already directed its state units in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Goa to prepare for the possibility of Assembly elections being advanced by at least a month to avoid a scheduling clash with the Census enumeration exercise scheduled for February 2027.

The Congress has set up a three-member panel headed by AICC treasurer Ajay Maken to prepare a report on the current political scenario in Punjab, including factionalism, and the Assembly elections. A final report is expected to be submitted by Saturday and is likely to influence decisions on potential changes in the state Congress leadership and election strategy.

Sources said Maken, along with Meenakshi Natarajan and Bhajan Lal Jatav, on Tuesday met as many as 33 leaders, including CWC members Ambika Soni, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and Vijay Inder Singla; former state Congress chiefs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Shamsher Singh Dhullo; and Congress Legislature Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa, besides MPs and MLAs, to hear their views on the way forward. The panel will meet former state ministers and district Congress presidents on Wednesday.

Asked what was discussed, Singla said, “I was asked about the issues the party should highlight in its election campaign. I listed the issues that the Congress can focus on to expose the AAP government.” The CWC member said he was not asked about “organisational issues”.

Another senior leader said he told the observers that there was a possibility of the elections being advanced and the high command would have to decide on leadership as early as possible. Sources said some of the leaders told the panel that the party should project a Jatt Sikh as CM face. The Congress does not have a tradition of projecting a CM face when it is in the Opposition. When in power, the CM automatically leads the party into elections. But the party departed from that tradition in 2017 when it projected Amarinder Singh as the face at the instance of political consultancy firm IPAC, which oversaw the party’s campaign efforts.

The Congress had set up a three-member panel — headed by current national president Mallikarjun Kharge — in 2021, too, to find ways to resolve factionalism and infighting in the party ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls in which the party was eventually routed.

While the Congress fancies its chances of returning to power in Punjab, its underwhelming performance in the recent local body elections has triggered an alarm. Sources said the Maken committee had sought the views of the leaders on the formation of election-related panels and the need for balancing caste and regional equations.

Manoj C G currently serves as the Chief of National Political Bureau at The Indian Express. A veteran journalist with a career spanning nearly two decades, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the publication's coverage of India's political landscape. Experience & Career: Manoj has built a robust career in political journalism, marked by a transition from wire service reporting to in-depth newspaper analysis. The Indian Express (2008 – Present): He joined the organization in 2008 and has risen to lead the National Political Bureau, overseeing key political coverage. Press Trust of India (PTI): Prior to his tenure at The Indian Express, Manoj worked with India’s premier news agency, PTI, honing his skills in breaking news and accurate reporting. Expertise & Focus Areas: As a seasoned political observer, Manoj focuses on the nuances of governance and party dynamics. National Politics: extensive reporting on the central government, parliamentary affairs, and national elections. Political Strategy: Deep analysis of party structures, coalition politics, and the shifting ideologies within the Indian political spectrum. Bureau Leadership: directing a team of reporters to cover the most critical developments in the nation's capital. Authoritativeness & Trust: Manoj’s authoritativeness is grounded in his nearly 20 years of field experience and his leadership role at a legacy newspaper. His long-standing association with The Indian Express underscores a reputation for consistency, editorial integrity, and rigorous reporting standards required of a Bureau Chief. Find all stories by Manoj C G here. ... Read More