Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has resigned as Punjab Congress president, ending his tenure as the party’s state unit chief amid months of internal differences.
Warring submitted his resignation to Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal after the party high command conveyed that it wanted a change in leadership. The Congress is expected to name his successor within the next 24 to 48 hours.
The move comes months ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, with the party looking to reorganise its state unit and address factional differences.
Former minister Vijay Inder Singla is among the names being considered for the post. Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa are also in contention. Former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and senior leader Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria have also figured in discussions.
WHY DID RAJA WARRING RESIGN?
Warring’s exit follows months of differences within the Punjab Congress, particularly between his supporters and leaders associated with Channi.
The party had earlier attempted to manage the divisions by retaining Warring as state president while giving Channi a prominent role in the campaign committee. The arrangement, however, failed to resolve the tensions within the state unit.
The issue gained renewed attention after Sachin Pilot was appointed Punjab Congress in-charge. Pilot held meetings with party leaders and workers and submitted a report to the high command on the state organisation and internal differences.
Senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal and Pilot, subsequently discussed the Punjab situation. The high command later communicated its desire for a change in the state leadership, following which Warring submitted his resignation.
WHO COULD SUCCEED WARRING?
Vijay Inder Singla has emerged as one of the prominent names under consideration. The former minister and MP is a member of the Congress Working Committee and was recently given a key role in the party’s election management and coordination.
Pargat Singh and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa are also being considered, while Channi, Sarkaria and other senior leaders remain part of the discussions.
The Congress has yet to formally announce its choice.
CONGRESS FACES ANOTHER LEADERSHIP RESET
Leadership disputes have repeatedly affected the Punjab Congress ahead of elections.
In 2021, the party removed Amarinder Singh as chief minister following a prolonged confrontation involving Navjot Singh Sidhu and the state leadership. Channi subsequently took over as chief minister.
The Congress won 18 seats in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, down from 77 in 2017. Warring became Punjab Congress chief in April 2022, shortly after the party’s defeat.
His resignation now sets the stage for another change at the top of the state unit as the Congress prepares for the 2027 Assembly polls.
Comments are closed.