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Power play? Pargat rolls out Congress campaign a day before Channi’s cycle yatra
Pargat announces statewide outreach campaign, “Punjab Mangda Insaaf”, beginning November 11, a day before party’s campaign committee chairman Charanjit Singh Channi’s proposed “Jawani Sambhal, Jatta” cycle yatra
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In a move that could intensify the simmering power struggle within the Punjab Congress, its president Pargat Singh has announced a statewide outreach campaign, “Punjab Mangda Insaaf”, beginning November 11 — a day before party’s campaign committee chairman Charanjit Singh Channi’s proposed “Jawani Sambhal, Jatta” cycle yatra.
The timing of the announcement has raised eyebrows within the party, with the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) programme being seen as an attempt to assert the organisation’s independent identity and prevent Channi’s political exercise from overshadowing the state unit’s activities.
Party insiders said some senior Congress leaders had advised Pargat to schedule the programme for Wednesday, a day ahead of Channi’s proposed yatra. The move assumes significance as Channi has been making elaborate preparations for his cycle rally, reportedly devoting considerable resources to turning it into a major political event.
His outreach is also being viewed as an attempt to strengthen his claim to being the party’s chief ministerial face for the 2027 assembly elections.
Some leaders said there was growing concern that Channi’s campaign was increasingly being projected around his personal leadership rather than the Congress organisation.
The latest announcement comes amid persistent factionalism in the state unit, competing leadership ambitions and a lack of clarity over the party’s CM face.
“There is nothing wrong if the PPCC announces its own programme. Everything has been cleared by the All India Congress Committee, which is in the loop,” a senior leader said, admitting that the announcement had been made at the last minute.
Pargat, however, played down the political significance of the timing, saying the “Punjab Mangda Insaaf” campaign would reach out to farmers, labourers, traders, employees, youth, women and other sections of society across Malwa, Majha and Doaba.
Senior leaders would engage with representatives of the IT sector, agriculture and industry, while raising issues such as drug abuse, gangsterism, deteriorating law and order, alleged police excesses and bureaucratic mismanagement.
“Charanjit Singh Channi would also reach out to people across different assembly constituencies through the ‘Jawani Sambhal, Jatta’ cycle rally. Five to six senior Congress leaders will lead the campaign in different regions and take the party’s message to every household,” Pargat said.
Asked about the first list of Congress candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, he said the party was conducting surveys and holding meetings at various levels, and was making efforts to release the list as soon as possible.
Party leaders said the high command wanted to keep the race for the chief ministerial face open and had accordingly cleared Pargat’s outreach programme.
On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and other senior Congress leaders will join Pargat to launch the campaign.
The parallel political exercises, however, reveal the Congress’s larger challenge: projecting a united face against the AAP government even as its leaders seek to establish individual political footprints ahead of the crucial 2027 contest.
“The rousing welcome Channi received in Sangrur in the presence of Rahul Gandhi has rattled some leaders. That is why they have done this. But Channi will continue working to strengthen the Congress. We need to gear up the workers for the elections,” said a leader close to Channi, who was unavailable for comment.
