Stepping up its political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, the Congress on Thursday launched its eight-day “Jawani Sambhal cycle yatra” from Chamkaur Sahib, with former chief minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi leading the outreach campaign in the presence of state party president Pargat Singh, leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and party’s general secretary-cum-state in-charge Sachin Pilot. However, former Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring was conspicuous by his absence from the flagging-off event in Chamkaur Sahib, the assembly constituency earlier represented by Channi.
The first phase of the yatra will cover approximately 625 km, passing through 28 assembly constituencies over eight days. The initiative is a part of the party’s “Punjab Mangda Insaaf” campaign, launched a day earlier at the Punjab Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh, to highlight the issues confronting the state and mobilise public support.
Addressing the gathering, Pilot accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann of failing to tackle the drug menace, corruption and other pressing issues. He said the Congress would return to power in Punjab after the 2027 assembly elections.
Pargat Singh said the Congress would fight for Punjab’s rights and demand accountability on issues ranging from river waters to the deteriorating law and order situation, drug trafficking and gangsterism. The yatra, he said, was aimed at creating awareness and encouraging people’s participation in addressing these challenges.
Channi, who also heads the Congress campaign committee for the assembly elections, said people were waiting for an opportunity to oust the AAP government. Targeting the Mann government, he raised questions over its handling of drugs, gangsterism, illegal mining and corruption.
{{/usCountry}}Channi, who also heads the Congress campaign committee for the assembly elections, said people were waiting for an opportunity to oust the AAP government. Targeting the Mann government, he raised questions over its handling of drugs, gangsterism, illegal mining and corruption.
{{/usCountry}}Claiming that a Congress wave was building up in the state, Channi described the cycle yatra as a major public outreach initiative through which party leaders would directly engage with people, listen to their grievances and highlight issues requiring urgent attention.
Among those present at the launch were Congress co-in-charges Ravinder Dalvi and Suraj Singh Thakur, MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, MP Amar Singh, former cabinet ministers Rana Gurjeet Singh and Vijay Inder Singla, besides other senior leaders and a large number of party workers.