Senior Congress leader and Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel has said that Rahul Gandhi is the only face of the Congress in Punjab, days after his interview on the party's strategy for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections triggered political discussion, Baghel posted a message on X stating, "There is no 'but' or 'however' in the minds of the people of Punjab and added that the voters of Punjab are placing their trust in Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji in the Assembly elections just as they did in the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress Party has only one face in Punjab, and that is Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji."
Along with the post, Baghel shared a newspaper report carrying the headline, "Rahul Gandhi will be Congress face in Punjab: Bhupesh Baghel." Baghel expressed confidence that the Congress would form the next government in Punjab and said the party would directly contest against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and ruled out any electoral understanding with AAP. He also described the BJP as "not even in the race" in Punjab.
Baghel also criticised both the Punjab government and the BJP-led Central government, alleging that both had failed the people of the state and identified farmers' issues as the biggest political issue in Punjab and referred to the deaths of farmers during the agitation against the now-repealed farm laws and his latest remarks come at a time when the Punjab Congress has been witnessing internal differences over the party's state leadership. Former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and several leaders close to him have sought changes in the state organisation, including the removal of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring however, the Congress high command has retained Warring as the state chief while appointing Channi as chairman of the party's campaign committee for the 2027 elections.
Over the past week, Baghel has repeatedly maintained that the party's organisational decisions are final and cannot be changed under pressure and has also held meetings with leaders from the Channi camp as part of efforts to address internal differences, recently, Channi said that his group would follow whatever election strategy is decided by the Congress leadership, signalling support for the party despite the ongoing disagreements.
Baghel's latest social media post does not mention Channi or any other Punjab Congress leader by name and he also does not refer to the ongoing organisational dispute in the state unit. Instead, his post reiterates that Rahul Gandhi is the Congress' only face in Punjab and says the people of the state have placed their trust in him.