With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections drawing nearer, the Congress high command has intervened decisively to resolve ongoing factionalism within the party’s state unit. On August 26, a special meeting was convened in Delhi, chaired by All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, where major Punjab Congress figures— including state in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, PPCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, and former Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa— gathered to address persistent infighting and strategize for the future. Various leaders openly discussed complaints about the leadership styles of Warring and Bajwa, citing exclusion in decision-making processes and the pursuit of personal interests over party welfare. K.C. Venugopal, giving all sides a patient hearing, nevertheless warned that the time had come to “bury the hatchet” and focus on defeating a now-unpopular Aam Aadmi Party government and capitalize on rising public resentment. Bhupesh Baghel affirmed the commitment to unity, stating, “All leaders have assured the high command that they will work together to defeat the AAP govt… All leaders will be seen together on every platform.”
The urgency of this realignment comes in the wake of repeated electoral losses, notably in the Ludhiana West bypoll, and rising concerns about the party’s diminished presence and factional disputes damaging its prospects. The high command instructed the Punjab unit to hold internal consultations, frame a concise plan to counter the AAP, and reconnect with the grassroots. Veteran leader Partap Singh Bajwa asserted the ground is “ready for change” and that a united Congress would once again be trusted with governance. However, the road to unity may still be rocky, with past accusations of “selfish leadership” and recent squabbles between senior leaders such as Rana Gurjit Singh and Kulbir Singh Zira reflecting a history of discord. Party insiders agree: only a credible show of collective leadership can revive Congress’s electoral hopes in 2027.
