Amid the internal rift in the Punjab Congress, 15 Congress MLAs have written to party leader Rahul Gandhi seeking a meeting with him, party sources said on Tuesday.
It is learnt that the issue of infighting among party leaders is expected to be raised with Gandhi, besides discussion on strategy for the 2027 assembly polls.
A party MLA confirmed that the letter has been written for a meeting with Gandhi, without divulging the purpose of the meeting sought.
The development comes amid an ongoing infighting in the Punjab Congress.
The state Congress unit has been struggling with factionalism, despite repeated assertions by the party leadership that efforts are underway to strengthen organisational unity ahead of the Punjab elections.
The infighting came to the fore when the Congress leadership on July 1 announced its decision to retain Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as the state unit chief and appoint former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi as the chairperson of its campaign committee.
During the party’s ‘Har Booth, Congress Mazboot’ campaign from July 31 till August 8, there was an open display of infighting with Channi’s supporters raising slogans in his favour and verbal clashes between supporters of Channi and Warring at many meetings.
“Go back Baghel” posters had also surfaced in Muktsar. The signs of widening infighting unfolded before Bhupesh Baghel, Congress general secretary in charge for Punjab, and Warring.
{{/usCountry}}“Go back Baghel” posters had also surfaced in Muktsar. The signs of widening infighting unfolded before Bhupesh Baghel, Congress general secretary in charge for Punjab, and Warring.
{{/usCountry}}A section of leaders led by Channi opposed the move to retain Warring as the Punjab Congress president and sought his removal from the position. The supporters of Channi have been seeking that he be announced the chief ministerial face for the 2027 assembly polls.
Following the voices of “dissent” over retaining Warring as the Punjab Congress president, Baghel had visited the state and met party leaders during his six-day-long visit.
However, after meeting AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal in Delhi on July 16, Channi had said “all is well”, asserting that he and other leaders would abide by whatever decision is taken by the party high command. On July 1, the Congress had made certain appointments regarding election-related committees.