The internal conflict within the Punjab Congress continued on Tuesday as supporters of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring once again came face to face during the party's "Har Booth Congress Majboot" campaign in Fazilka.
Supporters of the Channi and Sher Singh Ghubaya faction reached the venue raising slogans, police stopped them at the entrance of the event, later, the district Congress president came outside, identified the leaders and allowed the Channi faction to enter. however, according to supporters, they were not given seats inside the venue.
As slogans in support of Raja Warring were raised from the stage, Channi supporters responded with slogans in favour of Charanjit Singh Channi and Sher Singh Ghubaya and the supporters alleged that they were initially stopped from entering the programme. They later sat in the gallery and continued raising slogans during the event.
The latest incident comes as the power struggle between the Channi and Warring camps continues to grow inside the Punjab Congress and at the same time, the All India Congress Committee's OBC Department announced a major organisational decision. The entire Punjab Pradesh OBC Congress state committee has been dissolved with immediate effect and the decision cancels the posts of the entire executive body, including the state president of the OBC cell.
The orders were issued by AICC National Vice Chairman and Punjab-Chandigarh in-charge Kanwardeep Saini after consultation with All India OBC Congress National Chairman Dr. Anil Jai Hind and according to the party, the move has been taken to strengthen the organisation and improve the functioning of the OBC cell in Punjab. The process of forming a new state executive committee will begin soon, and a new committee will be announced separately.
Meanwhile, the political confrontation between Channi and Warring has also intensified through public statements and speaking in Ferozepur, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said he would fight and even die but would not bow down. His statement was seen as a clear message that he was not willing to step back amid the ongoing dispute.
On the other hand, Raja Warring has made it clear that he will not resign from the post of Punjab Congress president, while he had earlier said that party positions were not important to him, he has now stated that the party high command has not asked him to step down.
During his visit to Muktsar, Warring also claimed that some people from within his own party wanted him killed.
He also said that former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had led the Congress to defeat twice and without naming Channi directly, Warring questioned whether he alone should be blamed for the party's poor performance in the last Assembly election, pointing out that the Congress was reduced from 80 seats to just 18, and that he himself was among those elected.
The rivalry between both camps has also taken the form of a poster war.
Supporters of Channi earlier put up posters demanding that Raja Warring and Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel leave. In response, posters appeared calling Channi an RSS agent.
The "Har Booth Congress Majboot" campaign is currently being organised across Punjab, with Bhupesh Baghel attending programmes in different districts. Events were scheduled in Fazilka and later in Ferozepur as part of the campaign, while at the same time, Channi has been holding separate programmes with his supporters alongside the official party campaign.
Supporters of Channi have also raised slogans during events attended by Raja Warring and Bhupesh Baghel. In Warring's home district, hoardings carrying the message "Baghel Go Back" were also put up.
Channi, who became Punjab's first Dalit Chief Minister, continues to enjoy support among a section of party workers, especially in the Malwa region and his supporters have repeatedly projected him as the party's main face for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, Raja Warring has remained alongside Bhupesh Baghel throughout the campaign. The two have travelled together and addressed programmes across the state and at several events, Baghel has praised Warring's leadership, while not making any public comments about Channi.
Raja Warring has also warned that strict action will be taken against anyone violating party discipline during Congress programmes and he said workers involved in sloganeering or creating disturbances would face expulsion from the party. The Congress has already expelled former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, who is considered a supporter of Charanjit Singh Channi and both Raja Warring and Bhupesh Baghel have repeatedly referred to party discipline while addressing workers during the ongoing campaign.
The developments highlight continuing factional tensions within the Punjab Congress as the party carries out its statewide organisational campaign.