Chandigarh: The Congress high command’s new organisational formula for Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections appears to have triggered unease among several senior leaders, with the party’s latest reshuffle fuelling fresh speculation about internal dissent.
While the Congress retained Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as Punjab Congress president and Partap Singh Bajwa as Leader of the Opposition, it also constituted four new committees in an apparent attempt to balance competing factions within the state unit.
However, a noticeable silence from several senior leaders following the announcement has drawn attention.
Former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who was appointed chairman of the Campaign Committee, was widely seen as a contender for the state party presidency. Similarly, MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, another aspirant for the top post, was named chairman of the Core Committee.
Neither Channi nor Randhawa has publicly thanked the Congress high command on social media following their appointments. Randhawa only reposted the organisational list shared by senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot, without issuing a personal statement.
Punjab Congress chief Raja Warring was the first senior leader to publicly thank the party leadership after the announcement. However, no similar message was posted by Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa.
Former minister Pargat Singh, who was also considered a contender for the state Congress presidency, has likewise remained silent on social media.
The absence of public reactions from several senior leaders has fuelled speculation that many are dissatisfied with the high command’s decisions. Party insiders indicate that supporters of some senior leaders are privately unhappy with the appointments, suggesting that factionalism within the Punjab Congress remains unresolved despite the organisational overhaul.
Political observers believe the outward calm within the state unit may only be temporary, with internal differences likely to persist as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections.
