Chandigarh, July 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A fresh power struggle has erupted within the Punjab Congress after supporters of former Chief Minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi openly challenged the party’s central leadership, demanding that he be appointed the Punjab Congress President in place of incumbent Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
At an informal meeting held at Channi’s residence in Morinda on Friday, attended by several senior Congress leaders, former ministers, former MPs, former MLAs and sitting legislators, the Channi camp issued a one-week ultimatum to the Congress high command to reconsider its decision to retain Raja Warring as the Punjab Congress chief.
The development comes just two days after the Congress high command announced that Raja Warring would continue as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President while also restructuring the party organisation ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Leaders attending the meeting asserted that the Congress could not return to power in Punjab under Raja Warring’s leadership and insisted that Channi, one of the state’s most prominent Dalit leaders and a former Chief Minister, should head the state unit.
Interestingly, Channi himself did not make any public statement regarding the demand for his appointment or his role as Chairman of the party’s Campaign Committee.
The meeting was attended by former Deputy Chief Minister O.P. Soni, former ministers Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Gurkirat Singh Kotli, former MP Mohammad Sadiq, besides several legislators and senior party functionaries.
Former MLA Darshan Singh Brar claimed that the Congress could not form the next government in Punjab without making Channi the state president.
Senior Congress leader Brinder Singh Dhillon said a committee had been constituted to convey the sentiments of party leaders to the Congress high command. He added that all leaders present had resolved to stand by whatever decision Channi takes.
Former minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa clarified that the leaders were not opposing the Congress high command but wanted it to reconsider its decision in view of growing resentment within the party.
Former MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia maintained that the demand reflected the aspirations of Congress workers and the public rather than personal dissatisfaction.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday, clarified that the meeting had been pre-scheduled to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation and rising gangster activity in Punjab’s border districts. Responding to questions about Channi’s meeting, Randhawa remarked that the present situation within the Punjab Congress was unfortunate and indicated dissatisfaction despite several consultations over the organisational revamp.
Adding to the political heat, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu mocked Raja Warring by comparing his situation to the famous jailor character from the Bollywood film Sholay, claiming that most of Warring’s supporters had shifted towards Channi and advising him to “join the Channi wagon.”
The internal turmoil also comes a day after Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari expressed disappointment over being sidelined in the party’s organisational restructuring through a cryptic post on X.
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