The growing unease within the Punjab Congress came out in the open on Friday after a group of senior leaders decided to formally approach the Congress high command, seeking a review of the party's recently announced organisational structure in the state.
The decision was taken during a meeting convened by former Punjab Chief Minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi at his residence in Morinda. The gathering, attended by several senior Congress leaders, focused on the party's leadership decisions ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Addressing the media after the meeting, senior Congress MLA Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said the leaders had unanimously requested Channi to seek an appointment with the Congress high command and place their concerns before the party leadership.
Bajwa clarified that the leaders were not questioning the authority of the Congress high command but wanted certain decisions to be reconsidered in the larger interest of the party.
"We are not against the high command. We have full faith in its leadership. However, there are certain concerns that we want to place before them. We have requested Charanjit Singh Channi to meet the high command and request it to reconsider some decisions so that whatever is decided benefits the Congress party," Bajwa said.
He stressed that the sole objective was to strengthen the organisation and ensure the party returns to power in Punjab.
"Our only concern is that the Congress should form the next government in Punjab. There is disappointment among party workers and supporters, and we believe those concerns deserve to be heard before any final decision is taken," he added.
Although Bajwa did not directly name any particular appointment, the discussion largely centred on the Congress high command's decision to retain Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).
Leaders present at the meeting reportedly felt that the current leadership arrangement should be reviewed before the party intensifies its preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections.
According to Bajwa, Channi has now been requested to travel to New Delhi at the earliest to meet the Congress leadership and present the collective views of the leaders who attended Friday's meeting.
He reiterated that their disagreement was not with the Congress high command itself but with certain organisational decisions that they believe should be revisited in the larger interest of the party.
The meeting saw the participation of a large cross-section of senior Congress leaders from across Punjab.
Those present included former Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni; MLAs Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Gurmeet Singh 'Kala' Dhillon, and Rana Gurjeet Singh; former ministers Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Gurkirat Singh Kotli; former MLAs Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Parminder Singh Pinki, Davinder Singh Ghubaya, Inderbir Singh Bullaria, Lakhbir Singh Lakha, Tarsem Singh DC, Darshan Brar, Harminder Singh Gill, Madan Lal Jalalpur, Joginder Pal, Dinesh Bassi, Dalvir Singh Goldy, and Pirmal Singh.
Former Youth Congress president Barinder Singh Dhillon, former MP Mohammad Sadiq, Kamaljit Karwal, and Balkaur Singh, father of late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, also attended the meeting.
The meeting came just hours after Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa acknowledged the growing unease within the party.
Responding to questions after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, Randhawa said the situation should never have reached this point.
"Things should not have reached this stage. So many meetings were held before the organisational reshuffle, yet there is still dissatisfaction. It is unfortunate and sad," he said.
Friday's developments mark the first organised expression of dissent since the Congress announced its new Punjab leadership team.
With Channi now expected to seek a meeting with the Congress high command in New Delhi, the coming days are likely to be crucial for the party. Whether the leadership decides to revisit its organisational decisions or stands by the existing arrangement could shape the Congress' strategy ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
