E-Paper
Channi slogans rock Congress meet in Khanna, unity claims put to test
The programme was attended by Baghel, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, senior leaders and a large number of party workers
The Punjab Congress’ attempts to put up a united front suffered a fresh jolt on Saturday when a section of party workers raised slogans in support of former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi at a party programme in Khanna.
The incident took place during the concluding day of Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel’s nine-day tour of the state under the “Har Booth Congress Mazboot” campaign. The programme was attended by Baghel, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, senior leaders and a large number of party workers.
The sloganeering in favour of Channi came amid continuing speculation over competing power centres within the state Congress. Party workers raising the slogans were reportedly asked to stop. When the attempts to restrain them continued, the group walked out of the meeting.
While the incident exposed the tensions simmering within the party, both Baghel and Warring sought to project a message of unity and insisted that there was no factionalism in the Punjab Congress.
Baghel said supporters of individual leaders could hold their own opinions, but party discipline could not be compromised.
“Indiscipline will not be accepted at any level,” he said, making it clear that the leadership would not allow internal differences to spill over into organisational programmes.
Baghel also said all senior Congress leaders would soon be seen together on a common platform, an indication that the party high command is keen to contain the factional tensions and project unity ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
The latest confrontation assumes significance following the Congress high command’s decision on July 1 to retain Warring as Punjab Congress president while appointing Channi chairman of the party’s campaign committee. The arrangement has failed to completely settle the leadership rivalry, with the Channi camp continuing to seek a larger political role for the former chief minister and sections of his supporters projecting him as the party’s potential chief ministerial face.
The Khanna incident is also being viewed in the context of similar protests and signs of factional unease reported during Congress programmes in Bathinda, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala and Ludhiana.
Focus on booth-level organisation
Despite the controversy, Baghel maintained that the Congress organisation in Punjab was showing renewed energy. Reviewing his nine-day tour, he said there was considerable enthusiasm among party workers across the state.
He said the immediate objective was to strengthen the organisation at the booth and village levels and ensure that the policies and political message of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi reached every section of society.
Baghel said meetings had already been conducted in around 20 districts and that the remaining districts would be covered in coordination with Warring.
He also underlined the growing influence of social media in Punjab politics and said the party needed to build a stronger digital presence to engage with voters and politically active sections of the population.
The Congress had launched its “Har Booth Congress Mazboot” campaign from Fatehgarh Sahib on July 31 as part of its effort to rebuild and energise its grassroots network ahead of the 2027 polls.
Warring slams SAD-BJP ‘proximity’
At the Khanna programme, Warring also launched a broadside against the Shiromani Akali Dal over its support for the BJP on the proposed women’s reservation and delimitation bills.
Warring accused the Akali Dal of attempting to recover lost political ground and questioned its changing stance towards the BJP.
He pointed out that the Badal family had earlier spoken of maintaining distance from the BJP over issues concerning Punjab and the Sikh prisoners, but was now holding meetings with BJP leaders.
Warring also trained guns on the Punjab government over the pending dearness allowance of government employees.
He gave the government 15 days to release the pending DA and warned that the Congress would launch a large-scale agitation if the dues were not cleared within the stipulated period.
