Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa skipped a key Punjab Congress meeting called by Bhupesh Baghel amid a growing rift. Channi is reportedly in Delhi to complain about the state unit's leadership shuffle.
Rift in Punjab Congress as Senior Leaders Skip Key Meet
Jalandhar MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has opted to skip the key meeting of the Punjab Congress called by AICC State in-charge Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday amid a growing rift in the state unit of the party. Apart from Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also skipped the meet.
Party Leadership Downplays Absences
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Raja Warring stried to play down the absence claiming that both Channi and Randhawa had informed the PPCC meeting's chairman that they are out of town and will be available after a couple of days. Channi along with a group of loyalists, is reportedly in Delhi to lodge their complaints over the recent leadership shuffle of the party's state unit. The comes as the party starts preparing for the upcoming 2027 assembly elections. Congress had retained Warring as its State unit chief and Partap Singh Bajwa as Leader of the Opposition (Congress Legislative Party) in the Punjab Legislative Party.
"Channi saab has clarified to the chairman of the meeting, that he is out of town, he had said that when he comes back he will meet them. Bhupesh Baghel ji spoke to him; when Baghel ji addressed the press yesterday evening, he clarified that Channi sahab is out of town for two days and would meet later," Warring told reporters.
When asked whether some people are deliberately missing the meeting due to discontent, Warring clarified that "those who were called came to the meeting" already, with two leaders being present, while two other leaders Randhawa and Channi) had already informed of their absence beforehand.
"Who did not come to the meeting? Those who were called came to the meet, now not many people have been called, committee chairmen were called. Two chairmen already met, and other two people said they will meet after one or two days, (Sukhjinder Singh) Randhawa saab, and (Charanjit Singh) Channi ji," Warring said.
"The working president (Raj Kumar Verka), and the zilla president, we have a meeting with them," Bhupesh Baghel, Punjab Congress in-charge told reporters.
Meeting to Address Grievances, Prepare for Elections
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress' working president, Raj Kumar Verka, said that this is a meeting to prepare for the assembly elections, while asserting that everyone's complaints or objections to party leadership's decision will be listened too. People could be called to meet with the party's high command if need be, he said.
"Bhupesh Baghel is our in charge, we are preparing for our elections. So this is the situation, Bhupesh Baghel will talk with everyone, and if anyone has any complaints or think any decision has been wrong then that can be put in front of Baghel ji, and if they think they should put their complaints in front of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, then they will be called," Verka told ANI.
Signs of Deepening Factionalism
All India Congres Committee (AICC)'s General Secretary in charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, on Monday arrived in Chandigarh to hold key discussions with party leaders in the State, which is heading into Assembly elections next year.
Prior to his arrival, senior Congress leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa shared a photograph online featuring former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi alongside other leaders. Those featured in the photograph included MLAs Barindermeet Singh Pahra, Pargat Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and election committee co-chairpersons Razia Sultana and former MLA Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, among others. Prominent absentees in the picture included PPCC chief Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa and MLA Sukhpal Khaira. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
