Ropar district, traditionally a politically modest area with only three Assembly constituencies, has unexpectedly emerged as the nerve centre of Congress politics in Punjab. Over the past fortnight, the district has witnessed two major political gatherings by opposing camps within the state party, reflecting an intense power struggle over the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) leadership ahead of the Assembly elections.
Channi Camp’s Show of Strength
The first major event was hosted by former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi at his residence in Morinda. The gathering, described as a massive show of strength, saw party leaders and supporters questioning the continuation of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as PPCC president. Leaders from the Channi camp projected the meeting as a clear message to the party high command that a large section of senior Congress leaders favoured a leadership change before the Assembly elections.
Rana KP Singh’s Counter-Gathering
Days later, the political spotlight shifted to Ropar town when former Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh hosted a dinner meeting in support of Raja Warring at his residence. The event gained significant political weight as Punjab Congress affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel attended the dinner. Leaders close to Rana KP Singh maintained that the meeting reflected confidence in the existing state leadership and demonstrated that the majority of senior Congress functionaries stood with Warring.
Both camps claimed that most senior Congress leaders in Punjab attended their respective programmes, highlighting the intense battle for political legitimacy within the party. Political observers note that these developments have placed Ropar at the centre of Congress internal equations, with the district emerging as a venue for competing demonstrations of political influence.
Internal Divisions Within Ropar Congress
Within Ropar district itself, the Congress remains sharply divided between supporters of Channi and those aligned with Rana KP Singh. Ironically, Rana KP Singh had been left dissatisfied after the recent organisational appointments made by the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections, with many in the party believing that his camp had received little representation. However, the current rebellion against Raja Warring has altered the political dynamics considerably.
Owing to his close association with Punjab affairs in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, Rana KP Singh has now emerged as one of the principal defenders of the existing state leadership. He has consistently projected himself as a loyal supporter of the Congress high command and Rahul Gandhi, maintaining that the party would abide by whatever decision is ultimately taken by the central leadership.
Channi Emerges as Face of Anti-Warring Camp
On the other hand, Channi has emerged as the most prominent face of the group demanding a change in the PPCC leadership. He has been joined by former Punjab Youth Congress president Barinder Singh Dhillon and several other senior leaders who argue that the Congress cannot return to power under Raja Warring's leadership.
Leaders in the anti-Warring camp have repeatedly cited the Khadoor Sahib Assembly by-election campaign to justify their demand. They allege that remarks made by Raja Warring about veteran Dalit leader Buta Singh alienated a significant section of the Dalit community, traditionally regarded as an important support base for the Congress in Punjab. The camp has also criticised the manner in which issues relating to terrorism were raised during the by-election campaign, claiming these harmed the party's electoral prospects.
The dissident leaders further contend that a majority of senior Congress leaders favour a leadership change before the Assembly elections and insist that they are willing to accept any credible leader as PPCC chief provided it is not Raja Warring.
Ropar’s Outsize Political Influence
With rival camps choosing Ropar to hold their political mobilisations and stake competing claims over the party's future, the district has assumed an influence far beyond its electoral size. The developments underscore the deepening factionalism within the Punjab Congress as the party gears up for the upcoming Assembly elections.
