The All India Congress Committee (AICC)’s general secretary in charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel, the former Chhattisgarh chief minister, has been camped in Chandigarh over the last several days to deal with a crisis gripping the state party unit. Fresh trouble erupted in the Punjab Congress recently in the wake of the Congress high command’s decision to retain Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the state party chief, which has upset ex-CM Charanjit Singh Channi, who has been named the party’s campaign committee chairman for the 2027 Assembly polls.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Baghel speaks on various issues relating to infighting and factionalism in the Punjab Congress and how he is tackling it. Excerpts:
* You have reiterated there will be no leadership change in the Punjab Congress despite Channi and his supporters insisting on replacing state chief Raja Warring. What is the middle ground in this situation?
They have not had any conversation with me over this demand. You are informing me about this demand. How do I know what demand is being made? If the party high command has made a decision, then it is final. Such decisions are not changed every now and then.
* The Channi camp has accused you of “favouring” Raja Warring?
Only when you come to meet me can we have any meeting… You may keep sitting in Delhi and then say that you could not meet Bhupesh. It is a very unfair complaint. If you come and I do not meet you, then your complaint is valid.
* The Channi camp says that while you are holding daily meetings, “important leaders” including former ministers and candidates from the 2022 polls are not meeting you.
I came here (the state party headquarters) in the morning and till evening I did not have even a minute’s free time. People from various districts, various departments of the party are coming to meet me. There are block presidents, district presidents, people who have fought elections in the past and want to fight elections again, people who have been ministers in the past and want to be ministers again. For me, all are important, no one is big or small in the Congress.
Has Maken sahib’s report been made public? When it was presented before the high command, I was present. Whatever they are saying about the report is wrong. These are mere rumours. I can only say this much about the report because I cannot disclose its contents.
* How would you describe the current situation in the Punjab Congress?
There is no rebellion. Everyone in the family wants to work for the party. There is a spirit of competition. They feel that if they get a chance, they will work hard. The Assembly elections are extremely important for us and everyone is in a do or die mode.
* Is this a repeat of the revolt against Capt Amarinder Singh? The perception is that infighting had damaged the Congress in the 2022 polls.
There is a big difference between the two situations. At that time, we were in government and a change of the CM was asked for. At present, people want to move out into the field as soon as possible. The party workers want to do so and so do leaders and the general public.
* How do you view the present situation in the Punjab Congress as compared to other state party units?
Every state has its own dynamics. Punjab is different. This is a border state. The manner of expressing sentiments here is different. People here do not hold back their feelings. Whatever is in their mind, they say it upfront. There is a Chhattisgarhi saying: “Chatkan ko udhar nahi (There is no borrowing or lending when it comes to a slap, you repay it immediately)”. They do not hold back anything in their hearts. It is a good thing.
* How big is the role of personal ambition in the ongoing Punjab Congress crisis?
Everyone wants the party to come to power. Then there is also a feeling that one should get an important role in it. But the first thing that is important is to come to power.
* What message are you giving to the party rank and file in your daily meetings?
I am telling them that they should now get down to preparing for the 2027 polls. We are already in a better position than the AAP, BJP or Akali Dal even as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is in progress. We have already trained our cadres and ventured into the field. This election is different because it involves micromanagement rather than fighting under stalwarts like Capt Amarinder Singh earlier. We are focusing on booths and panna sevaks. Therefore, we have to fight through organisational strength and Rahul Gandhi’s leadership.
* How do you see the BJP’s role in the 2027 polls given that they may contest independently this time?
It is not known what wonders will be created by (Chief Election Commissioner) Gyanesh Kumar and Amit Shah. Amit Shah came to Punjab and said the party will fight elections alone. And after he left, seven Rajya Sabha MPs of the AAP defected to the BJP.
* After reports of internal fissures in the Congress emerged, the AAP appears to be confident of returning to power.
The AAP should focus on saving its own house. There are two “rahu” and “ketu” in the form of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia sitting on the head of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. This is being watched closely by AAP workers as well as the people of Punjab.
