New Delhi: The Congress high command on Thursday made it clear that there would be no change in the leadership of the Punjab Congress and that the party would contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the state in a united manner.
The message was conveyed during a nearly three-hour-long meeting in New Delhi with senior Punjab Congress leaders, effectively putting to rest speculation about a possible change in the state party leadership. The high command also issued a stern warning that factionalism within the Punjab unit would not be tolerated.
Addressing the media after the meeting, All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal said there would be no leadership change in the Punjab Congress and that the party would fight the Assembly elections together. “Any kind of groupism in the state unit will not be accepted,” he said.
Venugopal said Punjab Congress leaders had been directed not to make public statements against each other on social media or in the media and to raise issues only on party platforms. He added that the leadership had also been instructed that approaching the high command in groups or sending letters would not be tolerated, though individual leaders were free to meet the leadership personally.
The meeting was convened to address the ongoing internal discord within the Punjab Congress. It was held at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and was attended by senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Venugopal, and Punjab affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, along with senior leaders from the state unit.
The high command’s clear directive is being seen as an attempt to enforce discipline and unity in the Punjab Congress ahead of the next Assembly elections.
