New Delhi: Once bitten, twice shamed. Maybe that’s how someone might describe it Congress The top leadership problem is in Punjab, where the party is trying its best to unite the state leaders ahead of the assembly elections next year.It has been more than two weeks now since the Congress announced its new leadership structure in Punjab based on the recommendations of a three-member committee. Its purpose was to balance rival power centres. Instead, it triggered a new round of open war of words and infighting, with some leaders in the state openly targeting Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warringah.Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is the Congress in-charge for Punjab, had to extend his stay in the state as he tried to defuse the crisis by talking to rival camps. Now Baghel has submitted his report to the Congress high command. He insisted that everything is under control and the party is united to take on AAP. But from the ground situation it seems that the dispute is far from being resolved.
Bhupesh Baghel has said that there is ‘no resentment’ in the party.
a familiar crisis
This situation in Punjab is not new for the top leaders of Congress. It gives a feeling of déjà vu.Ahead of the 2022 assembly elections, then Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his challenger Navjot Singh Sidhu traded public rhetoric for months while the hapless Congress high command tried to broker a ceasefire.Ultimately, the Congress removed Amarinder and chose Charanjit Singh Channi as a compromise candidate for the post of chief minister. Later Amarinder left the party and joined BJP. But the change did not end the crisis. Sidhu and some other state Congress leaders continued to challenge Channi’s authority ahead of the 2022 election battle.The high command ultimately supported Channi as the chief ministerial face, but this gamble ended with one of the Congress’s worst defeats in Punjab, leaving the high command embarrassed.Congress, which won 77 seats under the leadership of Amarinder Singh, was reduced to 18 seats. Channi himself had a very disappointing performance as he lost from both the seats where he had then contested.Five years later, as the Congress prepares for another assembly fight, Channi is leading the rebellion.
From a compromised Chief Minister to a challenger
Channi, who may have dreamed of being made the state president, was disappointed when the Congress high command decided to let Waring continue to lead the party in the state.Since then, he, along with party MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, has been pressurizing the high command to change its decision. Channi called a meeting of his supporters in what was widely seen as a show of strength. Many leaders gathered around him. He initially avoided meeting Baghel to register his protest. But for the sake of change, the Congress high command seemed adamant on not repeating the past mistakes and not coming under pressure from their open rebellion.
‘We stand with the party’
Even as his supporters increased pressure on Waring, Channi tried to make it clear that the challenge from his camp was not against the Congress high command.He said that the leaders have expressed their concerns before the central leadership but whatever decision is ultimately taken will be accepted.Channi said, “We stand with the party. We respect the party high command. Rahul Gandhi is our leader, we love him.” “The final decision always lies with the high command. Whatever decision they take, we will accept it and move forward accordingly,” he said.Channi also stressed that his supporters had no intention of embarrassing or humiliating anyone and only wanted to strengthen the party in Punjab. He said, “Everything is fine. We are committed to the party, we will follow the party line.”
Why is Congress supporting Waring?
The high command has shown little appetite for reopening the question of the post of Punjab Congress president. As Baghel said, ‘This is not child’s play.’ He said this not once, but twice.
Bhupesh Baghel has once again confirmed that ‘this is not a child’s play.’
Waring was appointed after the 2022 election debacle and was tasked with rebuilding a defunct party. A three-time MLA from Gidderbaha, he rose through the Punjab Youth Congress and was chosen by Rahul Gandhi to lead the state unit.Congress’s ineffective performance in the local body elections has given a new weapon to its critics. However, the Congress leadership has given ample indications that it will continue to support Waring and will not succumb to pressure from its rivals.
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Channi, who saw the Congress leadership succumbing to the pressure of a leadership tussle in 2022 and then benefited from it, is probably now hoping to use the same pressure tactics to get a bigger leadership role. But Congress seems strict this time.Replacing Waring now in response to open rebellion would indicate that organizational decisions can be overturned through pressure. This is exactly the example that leadership seems determined to avoid.For the leadership, the fact that they are standing by Waring is not just about one person, but protecting the authority of the high command and preventing Punjab from becoming an example of a state where every appointment by the high command is open to negotiation. This could also set a dangerous precedent for other aspiring leaders in different states.
‘All is well’, but is it so?
Baghel has tried to play down the rebellion, insisting there is “no resentment” in the Punjab unit and denying any change in Waring’s position. He also warned that action would be taken against leaders crossing the border.But Randhawa’s comment that Congress does not need “compromised leaders” shows that the tension remains unresolved. Subsequent comments exposed the gap between the high command’s claim that “all is well” and the ongoing distrust within the state entity.While Channi remained cautious, Bajwa presented himself as a bridge-builder.Even though the leaders may have avoided direct confrontation in Baghel’s presence, his statements have hardly led to any agreement.
‘All Punjab Channi Naal’
Despite the Congress leadership suggesting that no changes would be made, many party leaders supporting Channi seem to be continuing to exert pressure. Several Congress leaders shared a picture with the Jalandhar MP raising the slogan ‘Sara Punjab Channi Naal’. The coordinated social media push also came when Baghel met AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal in Delhi.The Channi camp has received support from several influential leaders including Randhawa, Bajwa, Rana Gurjit Singh, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Aruna Chaudhary, OP Soni, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Pargat Singh.Their objectives may vary: some want a change in the state president, while others want more interference in ticket distribution and campaign planning. But with their coming together, the pressure on Waring increases and the work of the high command becomes complicated.Taking all this together, it will be difficult for the party high command to dismiss the rebellion as a leader’s dissatisfaction.
The opposition is keeping a close watch
AAP and BJP have every reason to continue the Congress drama. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already used the controversy to show that the Congress is not credible enough to form the government, and every senior leader wants to become the chief minister.This attack allows AAP to divert attention from its failures and highlight the fact that Congress is not a stable option. BJP, which is trying to expand in Punjab, also benefits from the divided Congress.
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For Congress, the stakes are high. It still remains relevant in the state, thanks to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which showed that the party still has a support base. But the 2022 elections also showed how quickly that advantage can be lost when the fight is internal.
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Will Congress blink?
As the party prepares for the upcoming electoral battle, its ability to manage these internal divisions will be crucial to projecting stability and gaining political ground.This time, the Congress leadership has learned a lesson from the experience of 2022. Concessions do not solve the crisis. New demands keep emerging which ultimately weaken the chain of command and contribute to defeat in the elections. But then Congress also needs to be cautious of the consequences of this tussle. Its opponents in Punjab will be smiling at the internal turmoil in the party and will be hoping that they will benefit from it.The party needs both Waring and Channi. The challenge is to force the factions to work together without allowing any one of them to derail the campaign. The book of pressure which gave Channi the post of Chief Minister is back. But Congress knows how the story ended last time and may want to write a new chapter. Whether it can resist the pressure without allowing the insurgency to shatter the state entity will determine whether it enters the 2027 elections as a serious challenger or as a party that is once again fighting itself before fighting its opponents.
