The Congress party has appointed former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior leader Bhupesh Baghel as the new in-charge of Punjab Congress. He becomes the third senior leader to hold this position after Shakeel Ahmed and Harish Rawat.
The decision to appoint Baghel is crucial, as several senior leaders in Punjab Congress are vying for the state president’s position. Assigning the leadership to a junior leader could create coordination challenges within the party.
Upcoming elections for key party positions
According to sources, fresh elections will be held for key party positions, including Congress President, Working President, and General Secretary. Several senior leaders are in the race for the post of Punjab Congress President, including:
- Charanjit Singh Channi
- Pratap Singh Bajwa
- Bharat Bhushan Ashu
- Rana Gurjit Singh
- Pargat Singh
However, Navjot Singh Sidhu is reportedly out of the race.
Performance under Amarinder Singh Raja Warring
Current Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, a young leader, led the party to a strong performance in the Lok Sabha elections. He resigned from his MLA position to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Ludhiana and secured a victory against BJP candidate Ravneet Bittu.
Despite this success, Warring faced a setback when his wife lost in the subsequent assembly by-elections. However, Punjab Congress also performed well in the municipal elections, particularly in Amritsar and Phagwara.
Though the party failed to secure the mayor’s post in these municipal corporations due to government pressure, it still managed to elect more councilors than the ruling party.
Congress’s next move: Who will lead?
With leadership changes imminent, the party’s next move remains uncertain. A final list of candidates for the state leadership could be announced at any time.
Given the upcoming assembly elections, the Congress may consider playing the Dalit card in selecting its next Punjab unit chief to strengthen its voter base.
The developments in Punjab Congress will be closely watched as the party prepares for a crucial electoral battle in the state.
Also Read: Two murder suspects deported from US, arrested in Amritsar
Follow us
