Newly appointed Punjab Congress president Pargat Singh on Friday spoke about his new responsibility and said the people of Punjab have traditionally rejected politics based on hatred.
Speaking in Delhi after his appointment, Pargat Singh said, “Punjabis have always defeated politics of hatred. They never accept those who do politics of hatred.” He said the people of Punjab need to stand for the interests of the state and said the Congress would focus on issues that matter to Punjab.
Pargat thanked the Congress high command for appointing him to the post. He specifically thanked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal and Sonia Gandhi.
Calling the people of Punjab peace-loving, Pargat said the party would pursue “positive” politics and work on an agenda focused on the state.
The former Punjab Sports and Education Minister also said he would work with dedication to strengthen the Congress organisation in Punjab and serve the people of the state. In a post on X, he thanked the party leadership for assigning him the responsibility.
Pargat Singh joined the Congress in December 2016, ahead of the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections. He joined the party along with Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of former cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu.
After being appointed Punjab Congress chief, Pargat is scheduled to meet Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. He is also scheduled to attend a meeting of state Congress presidents and general secretaries in charge on Monday.
Following the Delhi meetings, Pargat is scheduled to travel to Amritsar with party colleagues and pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.
His appointment comes ahead of the next Punjab Assembly elections, with the Congress now preparing to reorganise its state unit. Political analysts have said Pargat will have to work on strengthening the party organisation and bringing senior leaders together as the election process approaches.
The Congress has also seen changes in its Punjab leadership. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring recently stepped down as Punjab Congress president. Pargat has now taken over the position.
Pargat now faces the task of leading the Punjab Congress into the upcoming Assembly election while working to strengthen the party’s organisation across the state.