Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and senior party leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa met Congress general secretary K C Venugopal in New Delhi on Thursday evening, sources said. The meeting comes just days before the party is expected to announce a major reshuffle of its Punjab unit.
Meeting ahead of organizational reset
The meeting, held at Venugopal's residence, is seen as part of the Congress high command's efforts to finalize the new state leadership. The party is likely to appoint a new Punjab Congress president and may also revamp the district and block committees.
Channi and Randhawa are both considered contenders for key positions. Channi served as Chief Minister from September 2021 to March 2022, while Randhawa is a former deputy chief minister and has been a prominent face of the party in the state.
Internal dynamics and factionalism
The Punjab Congress has been grappling with internal factionalism, especially after the party's defeat in the 2022 assembly elections. The high command has been holding consultations with various leaders to strike a balance between rival groups.
According to party insiders, the meeting with Venugopal was part of a series of discussions to ensure a smooth transition and to address concerns of different factions. Both Channi and Randhawa are said to have expressed their views on the future organizational structure.
Expected timeline for announcement
The Congress is likely to announce the new Punjab unit chief within a week. The decision is expected to be made after further consultations with other senior leaders from the state, including former state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu and MP Partap Singh Bajwa.
Sources said that the high command is keen to project a unified face and has asked all leaders to cooperate with the new team once formed.
