Leaders considered close to former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi began arriving at party leader Rana Gurjit Singh's residence in Chandigarh on Saturday for a meeting with AICC state in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, amid an ongoing tussle over the party's state leadership.
Channi and senior leaders meet Baghel
Baghel reached Rana Gurjit's residence at around 12:15 pm. Ending days of suspense, Channi and senior Congress leaders close to him decided to finally meet Baghel on Saturday to apprise him of party workers' “sentiments.” Channi, along with senior leaders Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, and Gurpreet Singh Kangar, among others, arrived at the venue. It was not clear if Baghel would interact with all the leaders present or only a select number.
Leader of Opposition and senior party leader Partap Singh Bajwa, who was invited by Rana Gurjit Singh, and former Deputy Chief Minister O P Singh were also present at the meeting.
Background of the leadership dispute
On July 1, the Congress announced that Amrinder Singh Raja Warring would continue as the Punjab unit president and appointed Channi as chairperson of the campaign committee. Channi, who was said to be “miffed” at not being appointed state president, had not met Baghel since the latter arrived in Punjab on Monday for a series of meetings with state leaders and office-bearers. Baghel is set to hold a separate meeting with the Channi camp on Saturday; Warring will not be part of it.
Before entering Rana Gurjit's residence, Channi told reporters, “We are going to attend the meeting and talk to everyone. We will let you know.” Asked if Warring was acceptable to them as state unit president, Channi said everything would be discussed in the meeting. When it was pointed out that many of his supporters said they did not accept Warring's leadership, he said, “Let us discuss first. You know from the beginning what our stand is. Baaki tel dekhenge tel ki daar dekhenge (wait and watch).”
Leaders express views
Senior leader and MP Sukhjinder Randhawa, when asked if the Channi camp had not invited Warring, replied, “He (Warring) can better reply whether he was not invited or he is not coming.” Former minister Gurpreet Kangar said the meeting was specifically to discuss whether Warring's leadership was acceptable to them or not. Another party leader, Inderbir Bolaria, told reporters that Baghel would be apprised about the “sentiments and ground realities.”
“Our senior leader Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa had earlier said that there are some things that we want to convey to the party high command. We will place these issues before Baghel, so that he can convey it to the high command,” Bolaria said.
In an X post on Friday evening, Channi wrote, “United for Punjab. We have invited Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel ji on July 11 to place before him the sentiments of Congress workers and the people of Punjab.”
Party gears up for 2027 Assembly polls
Since his arrival in the state on Monday, Baghel has held a series of meetings with several party leaders and office-bearers as the party gears up for the 2027 Assembly polls. On Monday, several senior leaders met in Mohali in Channi's presence, days after several incumbent and former MLAs threw their weight behind the Jalandhar MP to be reconsidered for the state party president's post. Baghel had already ruled out any change in the state party leadership.
Dismissing speculation about a rethink on Warring's retention as state party chief, Baghel said on Wednesday, “When the high command has taken a decision, it will not be changed. Koi gudda-guddi ka khel hai kya ke baar-baar nirnay badla jaega? (Is this a child's play that the decision will be changed repeatedly)?”
After an initial reluctance, leaders in the Channi camp on Thursday decided to meet Baghel. “We will meet Baghel and present our views,” Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh had said.
