The Punjab Congress witnessed one of its most visible displays of internal discord on Saturday as supporters of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring clashed during party programmes in Sangrur and Patiala. The confrontations, marked by slogan shouting, heated arguments and even chair-throwing, overshadowed the party’s organisational campaign and exposed growing tensions within the state unit just months before the Punjab Assembly elections.
The disturbances unfolded during events organised under the Congress’ “Har Booth, Congress Mazboot” campaign, an initiative aimed at strengthening the party’s grassroots network before the crucial electoral battle. Instead of projecting unity, the campaign became a stage for competing factions to openly demonstrate their support for rival leaders.
The first signs of trouble emerged at Sangrur, where supporters of Channi and Raja Warring engaged in a bitter verbal confrontation that quickly escalated. Party workers raised slogans in favour of their preferred leaders while accusing rival groups of attempting to dominate the organisation. The situation deteriorated further when some supporters allegedly threw chairs, creating chaos at the venue and interrupting the official programme.
Many workers openly demanded that Charanjit Singh Channi be declared the Congress’ chief ministerial face for the upcoming Assembly elections. According to supporters, the former Chief Minister continues to enjoy significant grassroots backing, and they argued that the party leadership should recognise those sentiments.
Supporters loyal to Raja Warring responded with slogans backing the state Congress chief, resulting in an increasingly hostile atmosphere. The rivalry between the two camps became so intense that party leaders struggled to regain control of the gathering.
Despite repeated appeals for calm, Raja Warring found it difficult to restore order while addressing the workers. He warned that anyone responsible for disrupting an official Congress event or damaging the party’s public image would face strict disciplinary action. Even after his warning, slogan shouting continued for some time before the programme gradually resumed.
Senior Congress leaders, including Vijay Inder Singla, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Rajinder Deepa, were present during the Sangrur event and witnessed the unprecedented scenes of indiscipline.
The political tension was not confined to Sangrur. Earlier in the day, a similar situation unfolded at the Congress programme in Patiala, where supporters of Charanjit Singh Channi repeatedly raised slogans such as “Channi Liyao, Punjab Bachao.” Their demonstrations interrupted speeches and diverted attention away from the party’s organisational agenda.
Several senior Congress leaders were notably absent from the Patiala gathering. Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi skipped the event, while Fatehgarh Sahib MP Amar Singh and veteran Congress leader Brahm Mohindra attended the programme.
The disturbances highlighted the growing leadership debate within the Punjab Congress as different factions attempt to position their preferred leaders ahead of the Assembly elections. Although the Congress has not announced its chief ministerial candidate, supporters of various leaders have increasingly begun asserting their preferences in public.
Recognising the seriousness of the situation, All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge for Punjab Bhupesh Baghel delivered a firm message to party workers. Addressing both events, Baghel reminded the gathering that decisions regarding the Chief Minister and cabinet would be taken only after the Congress formed the government in Punjab.
His remarks appeared intended to calm speculation over the party’s leadership while reinforcing the authority of the Congress high command. Baghel urged workers to focus on strengthening the organisation instead of engaging in internal rivalries that could weaken the party before the elections.
Baghel also referred to earlier disciplinary actions taken by the Congress leadership. Without naming current dissidents directly, he cited the example of former Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu, saying the party had previously acted against individuals who created indiscipline and would not hesitate to take similar action if necessary.
The warning came shortly after the Punjab Congress suspended former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur for alleged anti-party activities. The suspension immediately added another political dimension to the day’s developments.
Within hours of the disciplinary action, Charanjit Singh Channi visited Jalalpur’s residence in Patiala and held a closed-door meeting with the former legislator. The meeting fuelled political discussions within Congress circles about internal dissatisfaction and factional alignments.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Channi appealed for restraint while also signalling his support for Jalalpur. He said he would raise the matter of the suspension before the Congress high command.
“I appeal to workers not to disrupt party events. The party is supreme and we should all work to highlight issues concerning Punjab rather than eyeing top posts,” Channi said.
His statement attempted to strike a balance between defending party discipline and expressing concern over the action against Jalalpur. By describing the organisation as supreme, Channi sought to project himself as committed to party unity even while maintaining communication with leaders facing disciplinary proceedings.
The events have once again drawn attention to the persistent factionalism within the Punjab Congress, an issue that has repeatedly surfaced since the party lost power in the 2022 Assembly elections. While the Congress has been working to rebuild its organisation and regain public confidence, internal competition among senior leaders continues to create challenges.
Political observers believe that visible displays of infighting can undermine the party’s campaign efforts at a time when it is attempting to present itself as a credible alternative in Punjab. Public confrontations between supporters often shift the political narrative away from governance issues and towards leadership disputes, potentially weakening the party’s electoral messaging.
At the same time, the enthusiastic mobilisation of supporters for both Channi and Raja Warring reflects the existence of multiple power centres within the Punjab Congress. While this demonstrates that several leaders continue to command significant public and organisational support, it also underlines the leadership dilemma facing the party before candidate selection and campaign planning gather pace.
With the Punjab Assembly elections expected early next year, the Congress leadership now faces the difficult task of maintaining organisational discipline while balancing the ambitions of influential state leaders. The developments in Sangrur and Patiala serve as a reminder that restoring unity may become just as important as building an effective campaign against political rivals in the months ahead.