Chandigarh, July 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) and senior Congress leader Mohammad Mustafa has strongly challenged media reports surrounding the recent Punjab Congress meeting at the residence of former minister Rana Gurjit Singh, asserting that the gathering has been widely misinterpreted.
In a detailed post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Mustafa argued that the dominant sentiment at the meeting was neither support for any individual leader nor an attempt to project a new chief. Instead, he claimed the overwhelming message from those present was a demand for a change in the state party leadership, which he summarised as:Â “Remove Raja, bring anyone.”
Rejects Media Narrative
Referring specifically to a newspaper headline that suggested Congress General Secretary in-charge B.K. Hariprasad Baghel had failed to defuse the Punjab Congress crisis, Mustafa described such reporting as “misleading in its entirety.”
According to him, the intervention by the Congress high command had, in fact, achieved precisely the opposite.
He contended that leaders who had earlier been perceived as challenging the central leadership had adopted what he termed a “humble submission” before the party high command after Baghel’s intervention, thereby restoring organisational discipline.
Credits Baghel With Restoring High Command’s Authority
Mustafa maintained that the meeting reflected the success of the Congress leadership in New Delhi in reasserting its authority over the Punjab unit.
He described Baghel’s six-day intervention as a “masterclass in discipline,” claiming it compelled leaders across factions to fall in line with the party’s organisational structure.
According to Mustafa, what had appeared impossible before the intervention became possible afterwards, with senior leaders collectively accepting the authority of the Congress high command.
Says Meeting Was About Leadership Change, Not Factional Support
Rejecting suggestions that the gathering represented support for a particular leader, Mustafa insisted that participants were united primarily by dissatisfaction with the current state leadership.
He argued that the earlier slogan demanding a specific replacement had transformed into a broader appeal seeking only a change in the Punjab Congress presidency.
Cites Attendance Figures
To underline the significance of the meeting, Mustafa highlighted what he described as unprecedented participation.
According to his claims:
- 92 of 117 Assembly constituency in-charges attended, either physically or virtually.
- 14 of the 15 sitting Congress MLAs were represented.
- Four of the seven sitting MPs, including one who reportedly conveyed support telephonically, associated themselves with the meeting.
- He also noted the participation of the newly elected Punjab Youth Congress president.
Mustafa argued that the scale of attendance reflected widespread concern within the organisation rather than loyalty to any single faction.
Sharp Criticism of Raja Warring
The former IPS officer launched a strong attack on Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, alleging that his leadership had united otherwise competing factions against him.
Mustafa claimed that Warring’s recent political conduct had alienated party workers and leaders alike, asserting that the collective sentiment emerging from the meeting was a desire for change in the state leadership.
He further argued that genuine political leadership is earned through public respect rather than organisational position.
Calls for Review of July 1 Decision
While stating that he was withholding his personal opinion on who should lead the Punjab Congress, Mustafa urged the Congress high command to revisit its July 1 decision concerning the continuation of the existing state leadership.
He argued that the developments witnessed at the Rana Gurjit Singh residence constituted an unconditional appeal by party leaders for a reassessment.
According to Mustafa, if the Congress intends to effectively challenge the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, it must evaluate its organisational leadership on merit.
Suggests Criteria for Future Leadership
Mustafa said any future leadership decision should be guided by proven political capability, administrative competence, consistency, a strong performance record over recent years and, importantly, an absence of political baggage.
He maintained that only such leadership would enable the Congress to effectively confront governance challenges and rebuild its organisational strength in Punjab.
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