NEW DELHI: Former Punjab chief minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday welcomed Sachin Pilot’s appointment as the party’s general secretary in-charge of poll-bound Punjab, saying it had brought “new hope” among Congress workers in the state.Channi described Pilot as a “good leader” and said his appointment would benefit the party ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.“The people of Punjab like Pilot, who comes from the neighbouring state. With his arrival (appointment as in-charge of Punjab), a new hope has arisen among Congress workers in Punjab and it will benefit us. A good leadership has come,” Channi told reporters in Delhi.Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Gurdaspur MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra met Pilot in Delhi after he was given charge of Punjab.Channi expressed confidence that the Congress would form the next government in Punjab after the 2027 Assembly polls, which are due early next year.Asked whether Congress leaders would come together on one platform, Channi said the decisions being taken by the party leadership were creating a good atmosphere in favour of the Congress in Punjab.“Pilot is a good leader and he is capable of taking all of us along,” he said.
Randhawa denies asking for Warring’s removal
The meeting came amid alleged factionalism within the Punjab Congress over the state leadership.When asked about the demand for changing Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Randhawa rejected the suggestion that he or Channi had sought his removal.“When did we tell you that the PPCC president be changed? Did anyone ask about it? Do not say such a thing. Have Channi Saab or I or any leader asked about changing the PPCC,” said Randhawa, the former Punjab deputy chief minister and Gurdaspur MP.Channi also said the decision on the state Congress president was entirely with the party high command.“Who is to be made the president or in-charge, who is to be changed or who is not be changed, it is not in our hands. It is the decision of the party high command. What it decides, we go by it,” he said.The Congress on Saturday carried out a major organisational reshuffle and appointed Pilot as general secretary in-charge of Punjab, replacing Bhupesh Baghel.Pilot had until then been in charge of Chhattisgarh, where Baghel is a key leader and former chief minister. Baghel has now been assigned Assam, replacing Jitendra Singh.
Punjab Congress factionalism
The differences within the Punjab Congress intensified after the party leadership on July 1 decided to retain Warring as the state unit chief and appoint Channi as chairperson of its campaign committee.A section of Congress leaders led by Channi opposed the decision to retain Warring and sought his removal.Channi’s supporters had openly demanded Warring’s removal as Punjab Congress chief and sought to have the Jalandhar MP declared the party’s chief ministerial face for the 2027 Assembly elections.Baghel’s recent visits to Punjab did not end the factionalism, while Channi’s supporters also accused him of “favouring” Warring.Warring had welcomed Pilot’s appointment and said there was no resentment among party leaders. He had expressed confidence that all leaders would come together to fight the elections.“There is no resentment. I think you will see that in the coming time, there may be some minor differences, but all of us, all the leaders, will come together on one platform and fight,” Warring had said.Warring had also described Pilot as a “national leader” and a “very dear colleague”, saying he was an “exceptionally hardworking and dynamic leader”.Senior Congress leader Raj Kumar Verka had also welcomed Pilot’s appointment, saying it would benefit the party and that Pilot’s experience and understanding of Punjab would help resolve the “minor mutual issues” within the state unit.
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Congress looks to restart Punjab outreach
The Congress is now looking to revive its organisational and electoral activities in Punjab ahead of the 2027 polls.The party is planning a statewide yatra in Punjab featuring Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which could be held towards the end of September or in early October, subject to the festival calendar.The party had announced its election-related committees on July 1, but their functioning was affected by the subsequent differences within the state unit.With Pilot replacing Baghel as the Punjab in-charge, Congress leaders have publicly welcomed the change as the party prepares for the next Assembly election.
