Rift in Punjab Congress widens as Channi's supporters want him as CM

A public rift emerged in the Punjab Congress as supporters of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi held a meeting, openly demanding he replace Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the state party chief and be projected as the next CM.

The divide within the Punjab Congress ranks became public today when former CM and newly appointed Election campaign commitee boss Charanjit Singh Channi called a meeting of his supporters in Morinda. Channi who had been spoken off as a possible PCC chief had to be content with the Campaign Comittee job after the Congress High Command opted to play safe and let Amarinder Singh Raja Warring continue as PCC Chief.

Supporters Bat for Channi as CM

Leaders who came for the meeting openly batted for Channi to take over the top post in the state Congress. Congress leader Tarsem Singh DC argued that Congress cannot form the government under the leadership of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, as the public does not support him. Speaking to eporters, the Congress leader expressed the group's firm stance on the party's future leadership, adding that the public wants to see 'Charanjit Singh Channi' as the 'next' Punjab CM. He said, "Congress cannot form the government (under the leadership of Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring) as the public does not support him...The public wanted Amarinder Singh Raja Warring to be replaced as the Punjab Congress President...The public wants to see Charanjit Singh Channi as the next CM of Punjab..."

Another Congress leader Harminder Singh Gill, indicated that there is significant public support for Charanjit Singh Channi. He said, "Elections are going to be held in Punjab in the coming days. In those elections, people want Channi Sahib to be number one. I do not want to comment on that (Raja Warring), but people want to see Channi Sahib in the number one position."

AICC Announces Appointments for 2027 Polls

On Wednesday, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced key organisational appointments for the upcoming 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, naming chairpersons and co-chairpersons of multiple election-related committees, even as the party gears up its campaign structure in the state.

According to a press release issued by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the appointments with immediate effect. As per the announcement, Charanjit Singh Channi has been appointed Chairperson of the Campaign Committee, while Vijay Inder Singla will be Chairperson of the Election Management and Coordination Committee. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has been named Chairperson of the Core Committee, and Amar Singh will lead the Manifesto Committee. The party also confirmed that Amarinder Singh Raja Warring will continue as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President, while Pratap Singh Bajwa will remain Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Punjab.

The Election Management and Coordination Committee will have co-chairpersons including OP Soni, Razia Sultana, Kuljit Singh Nagra, Angad Singh Saini, and Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

The Manifesto Committee will be supported by co-chairpersons Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Pargat Singh, Hardial Singh Kamboj, and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria.

BJP to Contest Punjab Assembly Elections Solo

The organisational rejig comes amid intensified political activity in Punjab, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already announced that it will contest all 117 assembly seats independently. Punjab BJP leaders, including state president Kewal Singh Dhillon and senior leader Manpreet Singh Badal, recently asserted that the party is preparing to contest solo, aiming to form a government in the state on its own strength and push for a "double-engine" governance model. (ANI)

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