Senior Congress leaders were notably absent as AICC general secretary in-charge Bhupesh Baghel began meeting with the heads of election committees at the Punjab Congress office in Chandigarh on Tuesday. The move comes amid ongoing factional strife within the party's Punjab unit.
Disgruntled Leaders Stay Away
The disgruntled leaders, who held a parallel meeting in Mohali on Monday, stayed away from Tuesday's session. Among the three working presidents, only Sukhwinder Singh Danny and former minister Raj Kumar Verka attended, while Sangat Singh Gilzian abstained.
Baghel stepped up efforts to placate the dissidents as Verka met former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi before attending the meeting. Verka later joined Baghel for breakfast and then participated in the official proceedings.
Call for Unity
Punjab Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, who has maintained a middle path, urged unity. “The Congress is a democratic party with many experienced leaders. I urge everyone to remain united if they aim to bring about change in Punjab,” Bajwa said, according to sources.
The absence of key leaders underscores the deep divisions within the Punjab Congress, as Baghel attempts to reconcile warring factions ahead of upcoming electoral challenges.
