Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi made a cryptic remark as he arrived at a meeting of disgruntled Congress leaders with AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab affairs Bhupesh Baghel on July 11, 2026. Speaking to reporters before entering the venue at Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Singh's residence in Chandigarh's Sector 4, Channi said, 'Wait and watch which way the wind blows.'
Meeting of Disgruntled Leaders
The meeting was called by Baghel to assess the situation within the Punjab Congress unit, which has seen internal strife following the 2022 Assembly elections. Nearly 45 leaders had gathered at the venue by the time of the report, awaiting Baghel's arrival. Among those present were several MLAs who contested the last elections.
Punjab Congress MLA Pargat Singh, speaking on the meeting, said, 'He is the General Secretary in charge of Punjab. He will assess the situation after holding discussions and will brief the party high command. Whatever decision is taken will be in the best interest of the party.'
Leaders Express Grievances
Rana Gurjit Singh, the host of the meeting, told The Tribune that all leaders who contested the last Assembly elections had come. 'We will put our point before Bhupesh Baghel,' he said. The leaders are expected to raise issues related to party organization, leadership, and strategy ahead of upcoming elections.
Targeting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Rana Gurjit questioned the timing of recent raids at his business establishments, noting they coincided with the gathering of Congress MLAs at his residence. He implied that the raids were politically motivated to disrupt the meeting.
Political Context
The meeting comes amid ongoing tensions within the Punjab Congress, which has been out of power since the 2022 Assembly elections when AAP swept to power. Channi, who served as Chief Minister from September 2021 to March 2022, has been a vocal critic of the party's state leadership. His cryptic remark suggests uncertainty about the outcome of the discussions with Baghel.
Baghel, a senior Congress leader from Chhattisgarh, was appointed as Punjab in-charge earlier this year to address factionalism and strengthen the party's base. The meeting is seen as a step toward reconciling differences among leaders and presenting a united front against the ruling AAP.
